All the pretty I can't see
by GracefullyFallingDown
Summary: Clary is rescued from her father when she is fourteen years old. Now at 16, can her new foster brother Jace help heal the wounds that never really closed, or is she too damaged to love again? All human. T for adult themes. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Look guys! I fixed it!**

She looked around the small room, not sure if she was ready to go quite yet. This was all so sudden, not having even met the Lightwoods yet, and going to live with them! Usually, you would live with a family for at least a couple of monthes before they decided to adopt you, but apparently that was not the case with them since she had yet to even know what they looked like.

And they were right down stairs.

She was, of course, terrified. But she just took one last look at the mint green walls, the small bed and the tiny dresser, and she left.

Standing in the living room of the trashy New York apartment was a decidedly un trashy woman. She acually looked so out of place among the fraying furniture from Goodwill and the urine stained off-white carpeting that it almost made Clary laugh.

Almost.

She had on a clearly designer made white dress that Angela, Clarys one time foster mom, was eyeing ravenously, and plain black wedges. Her skin was smooth creamy white with just the merest hint of pink in her cheeks, and her black hair was pulled into a loose bun at the nape of her neck, a few curls hanging loosly around her face. She looked younger than she probably was, Clary guessed around 35 or 40. She stood uncomfortably, and looked relieved when Clary entered the room.

"Ah, you must be Clary. Hello, I'm Mrs. Lightwood. You can call me Mayrse." Clary merely nodded.

Clarys mom of four months opened the door for them, not even offering up a goodbye. Clary was sure Mayrse noticed, as she frowned a bit and looked between them, but seemed to decide against making a issue of it and instead breezed out the door with a crisp "Nice meeting you, Ms. Gallion."

Clary followed, and didn't look back once.

They didn't talk much on the way to Clarys new home, and what little there was was Mrs. Lightwoods attempts at pre introduction to her children and husband. "Jace is a foster child too. We adopted him when he was just eleven. He's close to your age, only a year older." This was the only bit of information that caught her attention. Another foster child, huh? Maybe she'd have someone she could finally relate to. She doubted it, though. Probably just had a couple loving, caring drug addicts for biological parents.

They pulled up outside a huge house, a mansion really. It was an old Victorian style building with about 5 stories and a cupolla at the top. It was painted in hughs of brown, gold, saffron, and maroon, and had a huge front yard with all manner of perfectly attended shrubs and flowers. As Mayrse pulled the BMW into the two car garage, Clary gaped at get surroundings, feeling dwarfed by it's elegance. "Whoa. You live here?"

Mayrse smiled at her. "Been in the family for over one hundred years."

"This place is amazing!" Clary exulted as she stepped out of the car and popped the back open to retrieve her small plastic suit case.

"I agree. Now-" Mayrse opened a large oaken door. "Lets go meet the family." Clary swallowed and nervously followed her inside.

**A/n I really have been wanting to do an all human fic, so, here I am. Hope you enjoy! Shirtless jace's for everyone who reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Okay that was the most amazing response ever! Could I ask for better fans? I don't**_** think**_** so! Thanks to Neko Konojo, Mackenzie Ride, ellie-rocks XD, missivashkov, Krys516, granitegirl2010, MRS. WAYLANDftw, and lilianneherondale, for adding me as a favorite or as an alert. And a super duper big thanks to Aren, Max-ride-fax-fan, Blue Lily 96, and A for reviewing! You all deserve 5 shirtless Jaces and a piece of cake! **_

_**Also, READ THIS PART, for all who didn't know, the last chapter was typed on my iPod, therefore there were not spaces because it wouldn't let me, so now I am typing it on a real computer. Just FYI!**_

_**Now, let the story begin!**_

CHAPTER TWO

Clary walked into a large, tastefully decorated foyer. There was original artwork on the wall, she could tell from the rich brushstrokes and bold colors that you can't convey in a copied version. Actually, she was pretty sure she spotted some of Van Gogh's less popular work and a few modern art pieces that she knew had been obscenely expensive. There was a crisp white spiral staircase in a corner leading up through a hole in the slightly higher than average ceiling, and a platinum elevator along the far wall, with a door labeled POOL next to it. Mayrse's heels clicked on the white marble floor as she led Clary to the aforementioned elevator and pressed the up button. Clary noticed that there was a down button, so there must be a basement or something. God, just the first floor was bigger than any foster home she had ever lived in before. This place was huge.

And she was going to live here!

The elevator pinged as the door opened and Mayrse stepped in, motioning for Clary to follow her.

"Your room will be right in-between Jaces and Isabelle's. Yes, that would work out great." She said as the door slid shut and they began to ascend. "What is your favorite color? I need to get some paint so that we can start to decorate your room. Later tonight you can get on the computer and pick out everything you like on P.B. teen. They have good quality stuff on there. But if you want to for more of an adult look feel free to go on pottery barn. Actually, feel free to look wherever you want—"

Clary cut her off. "No, I think the first one will be great. Thank you."

"Oh, and we'll need to stock your bathroom. What kind of shampoo do you use? And towels, we will need towels to match the décor…" Mayrse was still muttering about towels and shower curtains when the elevator pinged again and the door opened onto a large room, a flat screen TV on one end and a giant fireplace on the other. Grouped around both of these were groups of comfortable looking chairs and dark wooden coffee tables, and separating the room in half was a long, low pool with fountains on both ends and a variety of exotic looking fish swimming around

inside. The carpeting was plushy and soft, except for around the fish pool, were it was, again, with marble. Sitting by the flat screen TV was a boy of around 8 or 9, reading a comic book. He looked up as Mayrse and Clary entered the room.

"Is she going to be my new sister?" he asked, leaping up and running over to more closely inspect Clary. Mayrse laughed and ruffled his already tousled hair.

"Yes, Max. Her name is Clary. Clary, this is Max, my youngest son." Max eyed her appraisingly.

"You're shorted than I thought. Everyone told me you were 16, but you look younger." Clary couldn't help but crack one of her rare smiles.

"Yeah, I get that a lot." Max had big, dark eyes and black hair like his mothers. He was slight, and wore huge glasses that he pushed up his nose before saying,

"Me too. Everyone thinks I'm 8, but I'm really ten." And then he slipped his hand I hers and pulled her toward the door on the other side of the room. "Everyone is in the dining room, and they all want to meet you!"

Well, at least she was accepted by one of her foster family.

Max led her through a white door, and into a room containing the largest dining room she had ever seen. It was light oak wood, and had inlays of what looked suspiciously like gold dust strategically placed around it. There was a door with a porthole leading to what she assumed was the kitchen, and high white walls set of the mahogany wood floor. She saw that the spiral staircase continued through this room and up through the ceiling again. The whole room smelled delicious, and she saw that one end of the table was set with six places, 3 of them already filled. Maxed dragged her to what was clearly supposed to be her place. "Sit next to me, Clary!"

Clary looked at the three other people already seated around the table. There was a startlingly beautiful girl with raven black curly hair tumbling halfway down her back. She had dark eyes, like Max, and a tall, willowy build with chest to spare. Pulling from her memory Mrs. Lightwoods words, she figured that this must be Isabelle. They looked at each other for a moment. Isabelle was the first to break the awkward silence.

"Dad called. Said he couldn't make it to dinner. He had a 'previous engagement'."

"Oh." Mrs. Lightwood sounded disappointed. "Well, then, I think I'll skip out too. You guys, this is Clary. Get to know each other." And she left.

"I'm Isabelle." Isabelle sounded a lot cheerier now that her mom wasn't here. She waited, prompting Clary to speak, and when she didn't, she said. "You're Clary. Nice to meet you?" it came out as a question. Clary was still silent. Isabelle seemed to give up on trying to get her to speak after a moment, so she proceeded to introduce the other two in the room.

"This is Alec, my brother." She gestured to a sullen boy with matching dark hair that curled around his ears and bright, electric blue eyes. He slumped against the back of his chair looking more than a little bored with the proceedings. She willed herself to speak.

"Hey." She said, trying not to sound too hostile.

"And she talks, too!" said a drawling voice.

"And that's my other brother, Jace." Isabelle said exasperatedly. "And it's nothing personal; he really is just that rude to everyone."

Clary turned in the direction Isabelle gestured, and choked on the 'hey' she was thinking about saying. She was staring into the golden eyes of the single most beautiful male she had ever encountered. They had golden, tanned skin and golden hair that curled around his ears in just the way Alec's did, but sexier. He was lightly muscled and dressed in a black Abercrombie shirt and faded jeans. He had cut cheekbones and dark eyelashes framing his bright eyes, crinkles slightly from the small grin he was wearing as his eyes traveled from her shoes to her face.

"So you must be Clary."

_**RRRREEEEVVVIIIEEEWWW! Shirtless Jaces and cookies! **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Sooooooooo, my review list will be….. Longer than I imagined! I'm so excited!I've found that you kind of have to bribe people into reviewing, so let's say… when I get 50 reviews I will have Jace & Clary kiss! How about that! If I don't make it to 50 by chapter 10, then this will just be a really depressing story, and we might have to turn Simon into a really OC guy who will have to be my Jace stand in, or somehthing like that, and I promise it will be really horrible. I have some simabelle planned, but if you make me… I will delete it all!**_

_**Now for my list. Thank you to , **__**Rionabelle, **__**FantabulousOboeLily, Kew12, Don'tWorryBeHappy21, GemmaLeigh1995, Elle Marks, frizzyhead101, and Dimitri-is-one-uber-fine-god for adding me as a favorite or putting me as an alert. Raksha-DanceWaterDance, **__**Ellie-rocks, frizzyhead101, mykk47, Nikki Gargol, Kallik of Gallifrey, and Blue Lily96 I would seriously send thank you cards to your houses if I could. Thank you so much for reviewing! Now, on to the story!**_

Chapter 3

And of course, Clary had to sit by him. Right in between Max and Jace. She could feel Jaces gaze bore into her throughout the whole dinner, making her extremely uncomfortable and fidgety. She was so distracted, she nearly didn't pay attention to what she was eating.

Nearly.

Dinner consisted of three courses of the most amazing food she had ever tasted. A salad made of buttery greens, grape tomatoes, and a couple ingredients she couldn't name started it off. Course number two was an Asian dish with shrimp, rice noodles, spicy sauce and vegetables, and finally, there were individual mouse cakes for dessert. Clary felt like her stomach was about to bust out of her jeans she was so full. It was great.

There had been a little chit-chat during dinner ("How's Kaelie?" Isabelle had asked Jace dryly at one point. "Same as usual." Was all he had said in return.), but mostly the sound of clacking forks had filled the air. When everyone on done, Isabelle rose first.

"Did mom tell you were your room was going to be?" she asked. Clary thought for a moment

"I think she said that it was in between your room and Jaces." Isabelle nodded, and turned away, motioning for Clary to follow. "Jace, can you tell Lium to bring her suitcase up later? I don't want her to lug it up all those stairs." Jace grunted in reply, and turned back to the conversation that he had been having with Alec.

Isabelle waited for Clary to join her at the base of the staircase, and began to walk up, talking. "There are five floors in our house, not counting the attic, which we don't. Three which we use mostly, though. The basement is mom and dad's suits, and a master guestroom. We don't go down there ever. Then there is the threshold-thingy were you come in, the garage, and the pool. The third floor is the dining room, the game room, and the family room. The game room is cool. You should check it out later." Clary nodded, stifling a yawn, not wanting to seem rude. She had been up since four, she had been so nervous. "Fourth floor is where our rooms are. There is Jaces room on the end farthest from the stairs, then the guest room, your room now, and my room. On the other side, on the far end of the hall, there is another guest room, and then Max's room and Alec's room closest to the stairs. The fifth floor is a gym and an art gallery for mom and dad's collection."Clary perked up at the mention of an art gallery. She loved to draw and paint. She would have to look in on it tomorrow, after she got some rest.

"What about the attic?"

"Oh, the whole house has been renovated so many times. Except for the attic. It looks exactly the way it did in the 1800's. Old, musty, and outdated. All that's up there is a couple of old boxes and a couple pieces of furniture from my grandma's days. And then there's this trap door that goes to the cupola, but that's all." That actually sounded kind of cool to Clary, but she refrained from commenting as Isabelle led her down a hallway and showed her to her room. On her right there was a pink door with the words _tenir à l'écart _was written across he top in pink sparkles and under that, _keep out _was written in english. She assumed that this was Isabelle's room.

All the other doors were blank, except for the one next to Isabelle's with the words CLARYS ROOM printed in large capital letters across the top. "That's your room." Isabelle said. "You look tired. Go get some rest." Clary went into her room, not even paying attention to what it looked like, kicked off her shoes, and fell onto the bed, asleep before she even hit the pillow.

_**Sorry this chapter is so short and filler-y. My Word went all screwy, so I have to fix it up. But review! PLEASE!-xoxox P**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Raksha-DanceWaterDance, Lol, Frizzyhead101, Max-ride-fax-fan, Rionabelle, mykk47, Blue Lily96, justcallmebadass, Kallick of Gallifrey, thank you all soooooooo much for reviewing.**_

_**WJC1985, Max-ride-fax-fan, jemsrwe, alexisb.13, justcallmebadass, Flare-The-Wolf, FashionxPrincess, ILuvJace, Chosen-Angel-Lunar, Babylion Sakura, Pearl919, B-Ball girl 21, thank you for adding me to Alert/Favorite. **_

_**CLARY AND JACE WILL GET ROMANTIC AT FIFTY! IT'S ALL ON YOU! I'm prepared to write some fluff any time you are, so just give the reviews and off we go! Hey, I'm giving you a tour of the house, right? See what reviews can do?**_

_**Now to the longest chapter that I've done for this story! **_

Clary woke to the sound of loud music coming from the room next to hers. She stumbled out of bed and rubbed sleep from her eyes, looking around for something to put on. Sometime during the night she had kicked off all her clothes and her shoes, leaving her in just her bra and panties. She rooted through her suitcase and pulled out her nightgown that was two years old and as many sizes too small. She forced it over her head and went out in search of a bathroom.

She had just assumed that it would be at the end of the hall, but when she looked, she only saw blank wall. She looked toward the elevator and saw, well, the elevator, but no neighboring door. She was just about to head to the elevator to go downstairs and continue her search when she heard a faintly recognizable voice.

"What are you looking for?" she turned toward it and saw Jace. Jace, she had to admit was really, really attractive. Like, model quality. And he was _built_. He was wearing only sweatpants that hung low on his hips, and left his torso bare, exposing his washboard abs and extremely well defined pecs and shoulders. His golden hair was sleep tumbled (aka looking super hot), and he had a light pillow mark on his left cheek but was otherwise flawless. Clary suddenly felt like a little girl in her too short nighty and her frizzy hair. She hunched her shoulders and tried to hide behind it.

"Uh, where's the bathroom?" Jace chuckled and swung her door open, leading her inside her room.

For the first time she noticed how large it was. Jace lead her through a total of three rooms, to the very back one where there was a door set into the wall, a door with the word BATHROOM printed across it in caps. Jace gave her a small smile. "I know." He said to her amazed look. "When I came here, I thought I was going to have to share all these rooms with Izzy and Alec, but it turned out it was all for me. Seriously, though, I got lost in this house for weeks. Sometimes I still do."

"It's so big!" Clary exclaimed. "Isabelle told me all the floors and stuff, but I will never be able to find my way around."

"Want me to show you around after breakfast? We won't have time later, because I have to go to soccer, and you have to go to the school orientation." School orientation? She had forgotten about being required to attend school.

"Sure. That would be great." He had his hand on the handle of the door, and he let it swing open.

"Why are you up this early, anyway? You looked pretty beat last night." Clary glanced around the stark white rooms, finally noticing how dark it was outside.

"The music woke me up." Jace looked slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry. That was me. I'm not used to having someone in the room next room me, so I can play all I want."

"No, no. it was beautiful. You play the piano?" Jace nodded.

"My dad made me choose an instrument to play, so I chose that one." He shrugged, trying to sound uncaring, but his face darkened. Again, she wondered what got him into the foster care system.

"What time is it, anyway?" she asked, changing the subject. Best not to get to heart to heart with these people she had just met. Best not to get to heart to heart with anyone, as a matter of fact. Jace shot her a thankful half smile for not pressing him for answers he didn't want to give.

"Four oh clock. Breakfast is in three hours. " he said as he walked out of the room.

After the single best shower she had ever had, using the small white bar of soap and bottles of shampoo and conditioner that looked stolen from a nice hotel (not that she had ever been to a nice hotel, but she had seen movies), Clary pulled on her nicest jeans and least shrunken shirt and decided to explore her room(s) the first one was, obviously, just a bedroom, with a large queen or king sized bed (she didn't know the difference), a white dresser and a door labeled CLOSET. Everything was white in her room. She vaguely remembered Mayrse mentioning something about "leaving her a blank slate to work with", but she hadn't known how intense that blank slate would be. There was literally no color at all in her rooms, except for the stuff that she had brought with her. Clary hated it. Mayrse had said to decorate her room the way she wanted it? Clary was going to decorate the hell out of this place.

Clary moved on to the next room. It had a couch and a TV along with a bar counter and a mini fridge. The bar counter had spouts behind it, but when she went to pull one to see if anything was in it, nothing came out. She got to choose her own drinks. Nice. The next room was totally empty with nothing in it except for a cordless telephone holder mounted on one wall, a door probably leading to Jaces room on one side and another leading to Isabelle's on the other side. At the back of this room was the door to the bathroom, her favorite room out of all.

It had a long white marble sink with two different spouts so two people could wash their hands. A black tile floor with mother of pearl embedded in it was the only non-white thing she had encountered thus far that was intentionally put there. There was a large Jacuzzi tub, and a separate walk-in shower that was one of those showers that hit you with water from three different sides. It was large enough you could fit about five people in there with you and not have to worry about bumping into them. The toilet was in a separate room from that, with a little door that opened onto it so you wouldn't have to smell the… toilet smells while you washed your hands and stuff.

All in all, it was the most awesome room ever.

She looked at the clock. Two and a half more hours until breakfast. She padded out of her room to knock on the door where the music was coming from, but stopped and listened.

He was singing.

_**For some reason I ended this feeling all sad, though saying that he was singing isn't that sad, is it? Maybe I'm just weird…REVIEW! xoxoxo P.B.M.**_ __


	5. Chapter 5

_**JaceLover XoXo, unforgivable, blali, StrangeBlueThings, Stargazer96, thank you for adding me as a favorite/alert. **_

_**Nikki Gargol, Blue Lily96, unforgivable, liliannherondale, maria, Stargazer96, (no name but I'm thanking you anyway), Rionabelle, Kallik of Gallifrey, Max-ride-fax-fan, ellie-rocks XD, thank you sooooooo much for reviewing. I really appreciate it.**_

_**Now, on to chapter 5!**_

Clary went quietly back into her room, lay down on her bed and pressed her ear to the wall. She couldn't really tell what he was saying, catching only occasional words, but she could hear the tone of his voice and the melody, and she could tell it was a sad song. She listed. She listened, and let his voice rock her to sleep.

xxxx

Isabelle stormed into her room an hour later, yelling "Get up! Get up! You have to get ready for breakfast!" Clary groaned and rolled over, cracking one eye open. She said something along the lines of 'Who gets ready for f***ing breakfast' before Isabelle pulled her out of bed and onto her feet.

"Get out of your pajamas! Get on some real clothes! Take a shower! Do your hair! Put on makeup!" Clary looked down at herself.

"These are my real clothes." Isabelle cocked an eyebrow, and Clary noted how much friendlier she was being compared to last night.

"Not anymore. Spur of the moment shopping trip before breakfast, I think!" Isabelle grabbed her hand and dragged her down the hall to the elevator before Clary could even react.

xxxx

Isabelle grabbed keys off the wall down in the dining room and called into the kitchen, "Lium? Tell mom me and Clary are going for a quick shopping trip for school clothes, and we'll be back in a hour. And we're maxxing out the Visa!" Clary heard a manly 'yes' from inside.

Isabelle did a little more dragging and finally guided Clary to the two car garage, which, Clary found out, was not just a two car garage, but a two car garage connected to a barn filled with cars of all times, shapes and models, but all had one thing in common; they were expensive. Isabelle scrutinized the keys for a moment and then said "Looks like we're taking the BMW. Good thing I didn't grab the Lotus keys, cuz we would've been screw. We cannot fit the amount of stuff I plan on buying you into that measly little car!"

To be honest, Clary would be happy just to be able to touch a Lotus in her lifetime, but refrained from comment.

"Mom and I were going to buy you stuff before you came, because we knew all your sizes from the papers we were sent about you, but then mom is all 'Artists are very different so we must respect her style and wait until she gets here before we just barge off and buy out half the mall.', but I seriously couldn't wait any longer. Where do you usually get your clothes?"

"Um…" Clary said uncomfortably and then admitted, "Goodwill, thrift stores, that type of place."

Isabelle sucked in a breath and said, "Well, what brands do you like? Hollister? American eagle? Abercrombie? DELiA*s?"

"Um… Hollister?"

"You'll like dELiA*s then. And American eagle. And Abercrombie, actually. We'll get you stuff from those places." Isabelle was zooming down the highway now. It was silent for a minute, but with Isabelle, Clary was coming to realize, it would never be silent for long.

"So… what kinda stuff do you like to paint? The papers said you were and artist."

"Well… I mostly sketch, but I do paint. Water colors. And I like to do scenes, mostly. Simple stuff."

"I bet you're really good." Clary smiled a little.

"Thanks."

xxxx

When they arrived at the mall, almost nobody was there. It looked like the shops were just opening, which was good for the speed with which they were going to have to go through this shopping trip. "You have exactly three minutes in each store." Isabelle whispered unnecessarily as they walked in to the mall. She pointed down the long hallway. "Let's go!"

The method was; Clary and Isabelle would sprint to a store, even though Isabelle was wearing heels around four inches high, Clary would throw whatever she liked onto the counter and the clerk would ring it up as fast as he could, while Isabelle did the same. It turned out Isabelle needed new stuff, too. A lot of new stuff. Like, more than Clary.

They were in and out of the mall in approximately 15 minutes, and Isabelle was extremely pleased with herself as she got back into the car. "That's a new record for me! And you bought a bunch of cute stuff, Clary! Nice job!"

They both sang along to an old Journey song as they sped home.

xxxx

Clary appeared for breakfast in her new a&e jeans, baby blue Abercrombie shirt, and Hollister flip-flops. She wore her new mascara they had grabbed when they quickly hit up the Sefora counter, and her hair was actually controlled with an amazing product Isabelle had introduced her to, the name of which she couldn't quite remember.

Mayrse glanced at her and then Isabelle, taking in the new brand name clothing and the credit card offered to her by Isabelle. She took it and said, "Would you guys mind if you ate in the kitchen? I'm having some colleagues over for breakfast, and Clary could meet the staff."

Isabelle nodded and turned to go. Clary followed, but stopped when Mayrse started to talk again. "And Clary? Nice shirt. Blue looks pretty with your hair."

xxxx

Isabelle and Clary sat down at the bar in the kitchen, where Jace, Alec and Max were already seated. Jace looked Clary up and down, and then grinned at her. "Are we still on for our tour?"

"Yep." She said, popping the 'p', something she was used to doing. It would annoy the hell out of most of her past foster parents, but it just seemed to amuse Jace. Isabelle cocked an eyebrow at her, but said nothing. She did that a lot, Clary was starting to notice. Spoke her words with her face, that is. And cocked her eyebrows.

Breakfast was good, with scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes. There was a lot more chatting this time around, mostly about school, who was throwing what party when, and sports. Jace commented that Isabelle was in a lot better mood than she had been last night, and Isabelle simply replied "Dad got home at eleven twenty-three last night." Jace and Alec both looked relived.

Alec. There was somebody she didn't know what to make of. He was beautiful, just like everyone else in this family, but he was sullen and quiet most of the time, except for when sports were mentioned. Then he got animated and loud, and talked with his hands a lot, describing plays and scenes for his memory. Clary got the impression that he and Jace were the stars of their soccer team.

When everyone was done and had had their fill, and the maids had come and cleared their plates away, Isabelle introduced her to Lium. He was tall and dark haired, with startling blue eyes very similar to Alec's, but was Alec's twice his age. "His full name is William. Isabelle shared after he had gone to do some task of Mayrse's. "William Herondale, but he prefers just Lium."

Shortly after she said this, Jace came behind her and tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

"Ready for our tour?"

_**Sorry! Tour will be next chapter! 33 reviews, guys! Nice job! Only 17 more…**_

_**And I fixed the first chapter, just so you all know. ~Playing**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**OKAY, PERSONALLY I THINK **_PURPLE HALO_**IS A CHEATER CHEATER PUMKIN EATER!, BUT FIRST, I HAVE TO GIVE YOU A TOUR. **_

_**AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED, FAVORITED AND ALERTED ME, BUT I WANT TO GET THIS CHAPTER UP A.S.A.P, SO THERE WILL BE NO LISTING. JUST KNOW I READ ALL REVIEWS AND APPRCIATE YOU GUYS GREATLY!LOVE YOU!~PLAYING**_

_**OH AND I OWN NONE OF THIS—ALL RIGHTS GO TO MISS CASSIE CLARE. I ONLY OWN THE PLOT. AND CHARACTERS THAT I WILL PUT IN.**_

CHAPTER 6

"Ready for our tour?" Jace intoned. Clary turned and nodded, saying goodbye to Isabelle. Isabelle gave her a funny look before leaving the kitchen, and the two of them, alone. Jace began talking as they walked.

"So, we're going to start at the bottom, in mom & dads rooms, and work our way up to the cupola.

"Okay. Isabelle told me that nobody ever went it you parents rooms." Jace raised an eyebrow at her.

"What they don't know won't hurt them, right? I'm not telling." Clary flushed a bit.

"Neither am I!" Jace nodded and continued to the elevator, pressing the DOWN button.

"Then we have an understanding."

xxxx

They arrived on the bottom floor after a short ride, and they stepped out into a long hall with a door on either side and nothing else except for an illuminated painting at the end. Clary immediately gravitated toward it, admiring the unfamiliar brushstrokes and coloring that she didn't recognize. It was nobody that she knew, but it was fantastic. Jace caught hold of her wrist, and were he touched he her nerves sparked and fizzed like someone shoved pop rocks under her skin or something.

Not the best metaphor, but still.

He pulled her into the first room, letting her traitorous hand go. Clary shook it for a moment, to make sure that it hadn't fallen asleep or something, but it seemed fine. Weird…

Jace swept his hand around the room. "This is Mom and Dad's master suit. They could live in here through the apocalypse and still be in the lap of luxury." Clary agreed. It was huge, lush and very…red. Red drapes, red carpeting, red bedding. Clary was not a huge fan of the color red, either.

Despite being a red head.

Well, just because you have brown hair doesn't mean you think it's the prettiest color in the world! She squinted and looked up at Jace, who was already looking down at her. For some reason, she blushed a little and looked away.

"Why all the red?"

"Red is the color of seduction and romance. I guess mom needed a little help in that department." Clary could hear the… what was that? Sadness? Discomfort? Anger? as he spoke.

"Why? They're married. Shouldn't they have that, like, unconditionally?" She glanced at him, and she could see the steel in his eyes when he replied.

"Just because they're married doesn't mean they're faithful." There was a strong note of disgust in his voice. Oh. The 11:23 comment by Isabelle made a little bit more sense now. So new daddy wasn't a good daddy? Filling it away, Clary decided it was time to leave.

"What's the guest room like?" She could see the relief in his posture and they walked across the hall.

"It's all blue and gray granite, but otherwise exactly like mom and dads." Clary got a much better vibe from that room.

They went up the elevator again, and entered the foyer. "I'm assuming you've seen the garage already, because of your early morning shopping trip, so I'll show you the pool. Oddly enough, they enter the door marked POOL. Clary stopped as soon as she entered. It was _huge_. Like, the size of three normal swimming pools. Plus a water slide. Plus a (giant) hot tub. Plus a sauna. Clary closed her eyes and let the steamy, chlorine-y air wash over her.

"I'm going to need to come _here _later." Jace chuckled.

"Yeah, I spent pretty much my whole first month here."

"I'm just going to skip orientation and come down here to calm down."

"You need to calm down?" Clary cracked an eye open.

"No. I just got randomly adopted, taken to the giantest house I've ever even imagined, learned that I now have servants or something, went on a 30 minute, 2,000 dollar shopping spree with a girl I met yesterday, and met the most gorgeous—I mean, yeah, I kinda need to calm down."

"What was that about gorgeous?" Jace was standing behind her, and his breath was warm on her face as in brushed past.

Clary froze. He was inches away, and getting closer.

Oops.

"I think it's time to see the next floor now!" she said loudly, her voice an octave or so to high. Give or take a few notes. Probably give.

The moment was broken, and Jace pulled away, his face unreadable. Clary's fingers traced where his breath had just grazed her, wondering what had just happened. She shivered and followed him.

xxxx

They skipped most of the next floor, except for the game room, which was extremely cool. Clary would have to test out her ping-pong skills later. Jace and Clary also mostly skipped the bedroom floor, just walking to Jaces room because the elevator only went to the fourth floor, and he had the continuation of the spiral staircase in there. Clary noted that his room was done in shades of black, grey, and white, and was also freakishly neat. Odd, for a guy.

They arrived in the attic, and it was nothing like the Isabelle had described it. The old, light wooden floor was drenched in early morning sunlight from the wrap-around windows, and it wasn't as big as the other floors, as the house started to taper off on the last two levels, meaning the attic and then the tiny cupola. There were a few stacks of forlorn boxes and old children's toys from early in the 19th century, and an old olive green velvet loveseat/lounge chair in the middle. There wasn't much else up here, but Clary fell in love immediately. Jace looked at her star struck expression and gave her a crooked smile.

"I thought you would like it up here." Clary really smiled for what felt like the first time since she had come to this place.

"I love it. Thank you so much for showing me." She started to walk back toward the stairs, but Jace grabbed her hand to stop her. She stiffened as her never endings had aneurisms.

"Wait. You haven't seen the cupola yet." He led her to the far corner of the attic, and reached up for a handle she hadn't seen. A trap door swung down, and a rope ladder came tumbling down after it. Jace hoisted himself up it, and then held a hand down for Clary to grab. Clary decided to go with the less tingly option and climbed up herself.

The cupola was amazing. It was surrounded by windows, and you could see blocks and blocks of the suburb-by neighborhood, even a slight view of the Statue of Liberty peeping out over Liberty Bay on Manhattan Island. Everywhere she looked there was something beautiful and breathtaking… until she turned around right into Jaces chest. Well, not much of a change. In the beautiful and breathtaking department of things, at least.

Of course, being Clary, she lost her balance and started to fall back toward the glass window, and the glass was looking extremely thin today, she thought. _I'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingt— _Jaces arm caught around her waist just as the back of her head touched the glass, and he pulled her securely into him.

"Careful, Clary, don't want you to fall." She clutched to him and breathed deeply for a second before pulling away.

"Thank you for catching me, Jace." She said, sounding too formal.

"It was more for me than it was for you." Huh? She shifted, not really knowing what to say in return.

"Well, I probably should go now. School orientation, you know." She started to go back to the hole in which they came up.

"Wait a second! I just saved you—don't you think I deserve something in return?" When she looked confused, Jace caught both of his hands up in hers and pinned them to the glass wall. He brought his face very close to her ear, and whispered. "You know, in fairytales, the hero always gets a kiss." The glass was feeling a hell of a lot thicker now.

"Um, Jace I just met— ," Before she could finish, he covered her mouth with his. His lips were soft, and she tingled in every part of her body. Her toes curled in her flip-flops, and her fingers tightened around his. The kiss was sweet, and innocent, and everything a first kiss should be. His mouth tasted like spearmint gum, and his lips were slightly parted, not in a make out-ish way, just so that it was comfortable for her to fit her lips into his. The kiss was short, and it ended as Jace softly pulled away, his eyes burning with question.

Clary disentangled her hands from his. "Jace, I'm sorry, but I—I just met you and—I have to go." she finished lamely. Jaces face fell. As she began to descend the ladder, he called after her.

"Wait, Clary!" She paused, and he looked over the edge. "Was it…was it…good?"

He looked at her his golden eyes pleading. She nodded once, and continued down the ladder.

_**So, I gave you your kiss! Earlier than I would have liked, but I said fifty reviews! And I never said she had to like it! There you go. Also, Jace and Clary will be answering all your questions if you have any in chapter 7's author note. Love y'all! ~PLAYING**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**it's MY BIRTHDAY! Oh yeah! So now, for my present, you all have to review and give me cookies cuz I don't like cake.**_

_**IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ- I am running the 2011 Mortal Instruments awards. Judging I have bookninja15, ., LostGetFound, and lostliveson4eva. Go to our community to check it out. I WILL NEED PEOPLE TO SUBMIT STORIES CUZ WE CANT GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM!**_

_**Rules:**_

_**All stories must have a k-t rating. **_

_**All stories must be submitted by the end of September.**_

_**All must fit in one of the categories mentioned on our community description. **_

_**You cannot submit the same story in two categories**_

_**You can pm me or any of the judges your recommendations!**_

**Okay, new contest thingy; at 100 reviews Jace and Clary take a steamy, unplanned dip in the pool, together and alone. Please please please please please please review!**

**Chapter 7**

"So, you just _kissed her_?" Izzy yelled at him once he was done with his story. His pathetic story. His pathetic, extremely detailed story.

_His plot_, he thought in a moment of evil-ness

"Um, yes? You have a problem?" Jace asked snarky, in a tone he knew Isabelle hated.

"Well, yeah! For one, she seems like a nice girl, _not your type._" Isabelle said with disgust. "And two, SHE'S FREAKING LIVING WITH US! Do you _want _to get her kicked out? Because _I_ DON"T!" Okay, Isabelle was majorly freaking out. What else was new?

"First, Isabelle, I think you're way overreacting. And I don't want to get her kick out. Where would be the fun in that?" Isabelle looked at him with venom.

"So that's what she is to you? Just some _fun_?" Isabelle asked him, enraged. Jace smirked at her.

"What is she to you? Just a Barbie doll for you to dress up?"

"No, she isn't Jace. She's a _real,_ actual person. Not just some bit of fluff you can screw and throw away like a piece of trash before moving on to the next one. And don't say it's because you've had a horrible up life, Jace! Because _she has too! _And do you see her going around leading random guys on and kissing people behind her sluttly girlfriends back? _I don't think so!"_

"But you don't really know her yet, do you Isabelle?" Isabelle didn't even pause.

"But I really know you, Jace Lightwood!" Jace stood up suddenly and turned to leave, feeling hollow inside.

"No, you don't Izzy. You really,_ really_ don't." he said quietly as he left the room.

xxxx

Alec drove Clary to orientation, being the only one Clary had been able to find, other than Jace.

Other than Jace.

_Stop thinking about him!_ She mentally scolded herself, and then turned back to the conversation that she had been having with Alec.

"So, do you play any sports?" he asked. She decided that she liked his voice. It was smooth and nice and soothing and sweet, sort of like honey, with deep bass tones underlying is lighter tenor. She absorbed its sensation before replying.

"Um, no. I did softball in fourth grade, but I decided I didn't like it. Now I mostly do art, but I work out sometimes." She had, like, once in her entire life, actually, when her old friend Maya (tough, sporty, gorgeous, and completely opposite from Clary) had convinced her to go to the gym with her. Clary had hardly been able to lift the bar when she did squats, and had immediately pulled her bicep while doing curls. She hadn't returned since, obviously.

Alec seemed, well, not exactly thrilled, but slightly more excited than his usual quiet, laid-back demeanor. "Cool. I could spot you sometime. We have a gym on the fifth floor."

"Oh."Clary said in surprise. "Jace didn't show it to me."

"Yeah, well, he wouldn't." Alec rolled his eyes. "Jace prefers to work out at regular gyms, where all the girls can oogle at his muscles."

Clary felt surprised, for some reason. "Really? Why?" Alec gave her a 'duh' look.

"Hate to break it to you, Clary, but Jace is the biggest player at our school. He goes through girls as fast as he goes through a box of cheerios. Which is, by the way, pretty damn fast." Clary felt an embarrassed flush spread up her neck. Oh.

There was a long, awkward silence.

"So, do _you _have a girlfriend?" Clary wanted to break the tension, but she also didn't want to seem too forward. She gave him a sidelong look to make sure she hadn't gone too far, but Alec looked happy enough to talk.

"Yeah. Her name's Magnolia. She's amazing."

xxxx

Jace was angry. Very, very angry. He didn't want anyone around him to be happy. Not Isabelle. Not Alec. Not Mayrse or Robert. Not Clary.

Not that this was new, though. He had been feeling this way for about the last 16 years. Give or take a couple moments, moments he tried to make happen more often. But honestly? Random sex was getting kind of old. He wanted something. Something more. He couldn't put his finger on it, not yet, but he could feel himself getting warmer.

And then something pinged in his head.

Clary.

He wanted Clary.

He quietly went to his room to plan his next seduction of her.

xxxx

Sometimes she hated him with a fiery passion. Actually, most of the time.

Like right about now.

Isabelle was about to rip Jaces mother fu—

What was that?

She strained her ears to hear. It seemed to be music, coming form down the hall. She padded toward Jaces room (which was quite a feat in four inch heels), and pressed her ear to the door, listening.

_Would you ever understand_

_If it told you I love you_

_Can you please hold my hand_

_And tell me that you're true_

Isabelle didn't listen after that. She knew who this song was for, and she didn't' like it.

Not. One. Bit.

_**Jace was being a little too-good-to-be-true, don't you think? If you review, Jace and Clary will heal each other and fall in love and all that crap. But if you don't…**_

_**And it's my birthday, so you have to review! Mwah!**_

_**And remember! POOL PARTY! (Sort of.)**_

_**Check out my awards community! Do it now! (after you review, right?)**_

_**Oh yeah, and Alecs sexuality? UP FOR QUESTION!**_


	8. Flame responseauthor note NOT A CHAP!

Dear 'Sarah' COMMENT NÚMERO UNO (answer made using personal experience): yes, sixteen year old kids DO go on 2000 dollar shopping trips. Some family, uh, acquaintances of ours bought a 1000 acre property for their son for his 18th birthday cuz he likes to hunt. Some people have way too much money and have nothing to do with it. COMMENT TWO (answer made using provable evidence and common sense): the characters are NOT supposed to be shadowhunters, because I made the human. If you didn't want an all human fic you should have read the description; second to last phrase is ALL HUMAN. And it DIDN'T mess up the whole plot of the story by having them this way because there was NO PLOT with them otherwise. Thank you. COMMENT THREE (answer made using knowledge of self): I did NOT fake my birthday, thank you very much. I did actually turn 14 on the ninth of July. Unlike SOME people, I don't lie to get attention. And I don't need to lie to get my reviewers to review. I believe that my story and my ore plot giveaways are good enough for that. So, I will thank you to have a little faith in them. And last but not least, you seem a bit conflicted. "good story, but you ruined the plot. Ur unrealistic and you obviously don't get enough reviews." okay... And if ur gonna flame, flame with a username. PLEASE. Flames are welcome, but be aware that I will flame you RIGHT ON BACK. I'm sorry if this insulted anyone. I will post a chapter tomorrow.~ playing 


	9. Chapter 8

_**Sorry about that last little not-chapter. I just got kinda mad. I'm sorry if I insulted anyone or hurt anyone's feelings.**_

_**But seriously, flame with a username.**_

_**And I would have updated sooner, but soccer and my job and family just piled up. But I am now! Here ya go, chapter 8!**_

CHAPTER 8

Clary arrived at the orientation a few minutes early and joined the group of students milling around the entrance to the large school. She would be attention _The New York Institute of the Arts, _along with all of the other Lightwood children. The crowd was largely made up of freshmen, but she could see a few older looking students that were new to the school, just like her.

She recalled the breakfast conversation that they had had about "the Institute" as the Lightwoods all seemed to call the place.

"_Yeah, Mom signed you up for attendance based on art, since you said you liked to draw." Isabelle scooped up a piece of egg on her fork, letting it hover by her mouth._

"_Don't they need to see a sample of my work?" Clary asked, realizing too late that, with the amount of money the lightwoods seemed to have, every private school in New York was salivation to get one of their kids, no matter the talent._

"_Mom told them you were good, and they believed her." Hell, _Mayrse _hadn't even seen her work yet, yet she was telling private schools that she was good? Clary sighed and moved on._

"_So, what are you guys attending for?" The Institute had a special curriculum to enhance every students talent and potential, based on what talent they signed on for. _

"_Fashion design." From Izzy. _

"_Athletics" from Alec._

"_Music." From Jace._

"_You and me and Jace are gonna have a lot of classes together, because our talents are more similar. Alec you will have less because he's such a jock strap." Isabelle rolled her eyes playfully while Alec looked insulted._

"_I could have signed on for Athletics" Jace mused while picking at his oatmeal._

"_And I could have signed on for dance, but I didn't, and you didn't, since neither category is where our true talent lies. And neither requires _any _talent at all." She shot Alec a pointed look._

"_I could have signed on for Vocal Music!" he said, pouting. "But all the guys in that are gay."_

"_Why didn't you, other than the gay thing? Magnolias in that." Alec looked at his plate of mostly bacon considerately. _

"_Hmm, maybe I'll re-enlist." Isabelle nodded in a satisfied way and then turned back to her food._

Clary stood on the edge of the crowd, not holding out too much hope for seeing a friendly face and trying to keep Alec's words out of her mind. _Biggest player biggest player biggest player _kept running through her head, but Clary had known all along it was too good to be true. And she hadn't liked him, right? She had been the one to push him away. Yeah.

Yeah, right.

She scanned the crowd once more, feeling lonely in this teeming mob, and her eyes landed on a dark head. A strikingly familiar dark head. She felt hope blossom in her chest as she stood on her tiptoes to get a better look. At that exact moment, he turned around, rewarding her with a view of his face.

Simon!

Simon, her favorite foster brother. His eyes landed on her, and his face clouded in confusion, and then lit up, a smile crinkling the edges of his dark eyes. He was at her side in a second, his arms encircling her in a big bear hug that lifted her off her feet. She could feel tears forming at the edges of her eyes when he set her down.

"Simon! You grew so much!" she cried, letting the liquid course down her cheeks.

"Well it has been two years since you saw me, Fray." He grinned at her, and she grinned back so hard her cheeks hurt.

"How are you?" she asked, hiccupping a bit as she swallowed another onslaught of tears.

"Good. You?" he rubbed her tears away with the pad of his thumb.

"Eh, you know." She said, containing her rarely emerging mushy side and dropping back into the familiar, comfortable conversation that was so easy to have with Simon. Ever since they met, they had been best friends.

"New family?" Simon, his mom, his sister and his dad had been her very first foster family, and the only one she had really enjoyed being a part of. They were going to adopt her, but when his dad had died of a heart attack, they decided that they couldn't and had had to let her go.

"Yeah. Freakishly rich, four kids."

"Kids?"

"Alec, Isabelle, Max, all biological. Jace is a foster."

"Ages?

"Isabelle; 16, Max; 9, Alec; 17, Jace; 16."

"Opinion?"

"Max; cute. Isabelle; Cool. Alec; nice. Jace;" she thought for a moment, deciding. "Asshole." She regarded Simon. He had grown _a lot. _He had to be approaching six feet, and he was actually, she had to admit, kind of cute. His dark brown hair was straight and stylishly messy, his skin slightly tan and his posture casually confident; think Logan Lerman. (Percy Jackson)

"Hey Clary? I want you to meet someone." He sounded a little guilty as he said this. A very, very blonde boy walked up, looking at Clary with inky eyes. "This in Jonathan. He's my, er, foster brother.

Clary regarded Jonathan. He was good looking, with fine, almost delicate features, almost white hair, pale skin and dark, nearly black, eyes. She stuck out her hand boldly, a new adjective for describing her. She generally wasn't very bold. "Hi. I'm Clary." He nodded at her, but didn't shake her hand. She pulled it back, feeling stupid.

"Jonathan. But you already knew that." Simon looked uncomfortably between them.

"SOOOOOO, Clary, what could possibly be your talent? How did you manage to get in here?" he said a bit too loudly.

"Clary looked at him thankfully. "Art, of course. What is you hidden talent?"

"Apparently, I'm a hell of a guitar player. I'm here on music." Clary recalled Isabelle's earlier comment.

"Oh, then you'll have classes with me, Isabelle and Jace. Alec to, if he changes over to vocal music." Simon snorted.

"Vocal only has gay guys in it." Clary recalled _Alec's _earlier comment. All this recalling was staring to where on her.

"So, what are you here on, Jonathan?"Clary tried to break some of the tension between them.

"Acting." There was a long silence, finally interrupted by a perky senior with a bullhorn, telling them that the tour of the school was about to begin.

"_Well, that was awkward_." Clary whispered in Simon's ear as they started down the hall. He chuckled, and Clary noticed how deep his voice had gotten.

God it was good to see him again.

_**I thought there would be more freakoutness about Alec apparent straightness, huh, I guess not. 100 GETS A POOL PARTY! CLICK THAT REVIEW BUTTON PPLLLEEEEEAAAASSSEEEEEE!**_

_**Love you, Playing.**_

_**P.S. read my Simon poem please 3**_


	10. Chapter 9

_**Only four more reviews... Ah well. It's your fault! I only got like 9 for that chapter. Well I hope we get to 100 for this one;) okay, chapter 9!**_

_**Chapter 9 **_

Clary was wandering around the large garden/ field where everyone was eating. The orientation was winding down, and they were now introducing the newbies to the excellent cuisine offered to them. Simon was walking beside her, jabbering about something funny that had happened at band practice last week, but she wasn't really listening. During the orientation they had caught up on everything that they had missed out on through the two years if separation. Simon said his mom had remarried to a guy named Enoch who didn't talk very much but was still pretty cool. He was a doctor at one of those church hospitals. Simon had been heartbroken last time Clary had seen him, and it was great that he was back to his old self. Happy, carefree, and totally geeky. Just like she never could be.

Then her thoughts turned to Jace. Uh, not AGAIN. But she couldn't help it. She had felt a connection when they had kissed, like a string binding then together.

"Clary?Are you listing to me?" Or had she? Had it all been inside her head, something she had made up to stimulate the lack of romance in her life?

"What are you thinking about?" Just a hormone crazed dream? She really didn't like him at all, but was just sexually attracted, wasn't she? Oh crap, now she might start having dreams about him...

"Because I'm thinking about the gay sex I had with Eric last week. Damn he was good." But she was living with him! It would never work. And besides, he was a "player" though he certainly didn't seem like one.

"and then he thrust-"

"Simon! What the hell are you talking about?" Simon flushed a little.

"Sorry. Just trying to get your attention."

"Well, do it more quietly next time. People are looking at us funny." His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a car honking. Alec had texted her about ten minutes ago that Izzy going to pick her up, and she was here.

"Just a sec!" she hugged Simon quickly.

"Text me?" he grinned and kissed her on the cheek. Whoa. That was new.

"Absolutely."

xxx

"Who was that?" Isabelle asked as soon as she got into the car.

"Simon. My best friend."

"That's all?" Clary frowned at her.

"Um, yeah?"

"Nothing... romantic?"

"No! He was my first foster brother!" Isabelle looked sheepish.

"Oh." It was quiet for a moment. "He's pretty hot." Clary snorted.

"Trust me, he's not your type."

"You've known me for a day. You don't know my type."

"Is it dorky, over enthusiastic gamer in a crappy band?"

"He's in a band? That's hot."

"Not when the it's called Moldy Breadsticks."

Isabelle dropped the subject.

xxx

"So." Isabelle was sitting on her bed across from Clary, who was still slightly in shock. It looked like several stores had thrown up into Isabelle's room and them a tornado had come through and tossed in a couple bottles of bail polish. Needless to say, it was messy. "We're all going clubbing tonight, and I was wondering if you want to come too."

"Umm... I don't-"

"Actually, it doesn't matter, you are coming. So, what do you want to wear?"

"I don't-"

"Actually, that doesn't matter either because I have the perfect thing for you. I'll do your makeup to."

" Isabelle, that's really nice but-"

"Brown liner would make your eyes pop... And I'm thinking some sparks in the blush..."

"Isabelle. Hate to break it to you, but I don't think any of your clothes are going to fit me." Clary was referring to thief height difference of nearly a foot.

"As I said before; I have the perfect thing. Now, go listen to some music or something to get yourself psyched up. And be over here in a half an hour for me to do your hair. And we are eating out. And what shoe size do you wear?" Dear lord.

xxx

It took Isabelle three hours to do Clary. She said that it was lucky Clary was naturally pretty, otherwise it would gave taken way longer. But now she was finally ready. "Okay, you can look!" Isabelle squealed, turing a oval mirror toward her.

Um, where am I in this picture? Clary wondered for a moment before she realized that the beautiful girl in the mirror was her. Soft red curls framed her face, her hair half up and half down. She had luminous green eye that grabbed your attention, high cheekbones, pale pink gloss coating pouty lips, and a luminous complexion The short black dress lengthened her legs and accentuated her creamy skin, and the the red heels added s touch of drama to the whole ensemble. All in all, she looked, well gorgeous.

"Alright, my turn! Go do something, but don't touch your face or you hair! And don't twist your ankle!" Clary nodded and went through the door back into her room.

xxx

"Time to go!" Isabelle called. "The boys are waiting for us!"

They descended in the elevator, Isabelle tapping her foot and Clary just concentrating on staying upright. When they stepped out the two boys were leaning against on of the marble walls casually, but Jace went rigid as soon as his eyes landed on her. He open his mouth to say something, but Isabelle cut him a look and he snapped it closed, smirking instead and saying,"Isabelle got ahold of you, didn't she?"

"Yes." she replied curtly, trying to ignore the way his hair fell across his forehead so perfectly. "You have a problem?" Or the way the light shined off his eyes just like that, or the white flash of nearly perfect teeth as he grinned at her, or- bad Clary. "No." he said, unhooking himself from the wall.

"No, I don't have a problem. Not at all."

"Come on guys! We don't want to get to Talki's to late!" Alec called from over by the GARAGE door. Clary staggered over to the door, ready to go.

xxx

The club was exactly as she had expected. Loud, sweaty, and full of energy. Body's danced so close that they where nearly getting it on right there. Everyone was semi dressed up like they were, or in various states of undress. Couples made out and did who knows what else in the dark corners and store rooms. The bartenders handed out drinks to whoever would pay.

Clary loved it.

To observe, anyway. After Isabelle introduced her to a couple guys from school ( Meliorn, the "hot foreign exchange student and Sebastian, "just a hot guy."), she went to the bar, pulled up a stool, ordered a lemonade, and sipped at the seemingly spiked liquid while watching everything that went on. A slower song came on and she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Dance with me." Jace pulled her onto the floor and curled their fingers together in a very familiar way. She couldn't pull away without making a scene, so instead she just growled.

"What are you playing at?" he looked confused.

"What do you mean?" he was trying to sound innocent, but she could hear a smirk coming in his voice as he pulled her closer.

"Drop the sweet act. I know you are a player, I know you are an ass, and I know you're just leading me on so you can laugh about if later. Please stop."

"But it was working? The leading on?" she felt him laugh. Okay, done trying not to make a scene.

"Get off of me." she said loudly. "Now." He let her go dramatically.

"If you don't want this, then I guess it's your own fault."

"What is your problem?" she screamed. The club still pulsed around her, but she wasn't paying attention. "and don't even use the foster kid thing with me because I can promise you your life has been nowhere near-"

"You don't know anything about my life." He said quietly.

Isabelle let them all go home early that night.

Did you like it?


	11. Chapter 10

Clary was so relieved when they got home that she immediately ran to her room and flopped down on her bed, ready to black out. Ew, but she still smelled like club, and she was so buzzed from the energy of the place that she knew she couldn't go to sleep. She padded to the bathroom to take a shower.

The soothing hot water still didn't calm her down, so she decided that she needed some actual physical actively to bring her down from her slight alcohol high. The pool would be just the thing.

She twisted her wet hair up into a loose bun, wiped away the remaining traces of makeup from her face, and went to the stack of shopping bags to find the cute black bathing suit she and Isabelle had gotten.

Once she had pulled it on, she wrapped herself in one of the fuzzy towels stocked in her bathroom and headed to the elevator, thinking she was just heading for a quick, relaxing swim.

xxx

She ran along the length if the board, arching her body as she dived into the lukewarm pool water.

She surfaced to the sound of lone applause, and dreaded looking but knowing she have to eventually. There was a splash and a hand on her back turning her around. "Nice."

She swam back a little bit as Jace grinned down at her.

"What are you doing here?" Clary asked somewhat angrily. He looked more serious now.

"I came here to apologize. I was an ass to you tonight, and an ass to try to lead you on. I'm really sorry. Can we start over?" Clary looked at him suspiciously, bur he just looked so damn sincere she couldn't help but nod. He looked like a weight had been taken off his shoulders as he stuck out his hand, grinned, and said, "Hi. I'm Jace."

"Clary."

"So... What should we talk about?" Jace said after a moment of silence. "You know, because friends talk about stuff."

"Who said we were friends?"

"Me." Well then.

"How about we talk about... The Institute."

"That's dumb. How about we talk about how come you are a foster kid?"

"How about we don't."

"Why not?" Clary gave him a steely look.

"Because I don't WANT to." She really, really didn't want to.

"Okay. But I might understand." she laughed bitterly.

"Doubtful."

"Try me."

"I'm okay, thanks."

"Clary." he said very seriously. "Talking about it will help."

"Ah, the guidance councilor approach."

"Whatever your parents did is not a joking matter."

"It's not just what they did, it's what he did to me. And what she didn't do to stop him." Jace was silent for a minute.

"Oh. You're one of those." And then, quietly, "So am I."

xxx

"He... experimented on me. He... He tried to put wings on me." she slowly turned around to show Jace the two jagged scars on her back she hadn't even thought about while buying the two piece. They ran from the tips of her shoulder blades to the small of her back, forming a giant V. "He would cut me and then put all of these different powders in to see if I would heal faster. He would make me exercise to the point were I would pass out and then beat me until I would wake up and eat this stuff he was convinced was angel blood or something. But mostly, he liked to see if he could- if he could graft things to my body. First the wings, and then ears and extra toes and stuff. One time he even brought home an eye. I- I don't know where he would get them. He-he was crazy." Jace had a horrified look on his face, and he wouldn't meet her eyes. She thought maybe she should stop, but she had never, ever told anyone this, and it did feel good to finally be able to pour out her feelings. "He cut off my left pinky toe and-and stitched someone else's on it's place. It was the only graft that worked." She and Jace were both sitting on the pool wall, and she lifted her foot out of the water, displaying the slightly disproportionate pinky toe. Wordlessly, Jace did the same.

Holy crap.

There was, on his left foot, a toe that was way to small for his large foot. It didn't seemed to have tanned the same shade, and-Clary checked- had a small, crescent shaped scar just under the joint from where she had stepped on it when she was putting on ice-skates once when she was little.

Yes, that was mist defiantly HER toe.

"What was your fathers name?"

"Valentine. Valentine Morgenstern."

"Mine too."

_** Bet that wasn't what you were expecting! Acually wasn't what i was expecting either.;) I hope it wasn't to rushed but its important that I get that information out there because things are about to get REALLY complicated! At 150 you guys get some jucy Mayrse/ Robert/ Jocelyn/Valentine drama. PLEASE REVIEW! **_


	12. Chapter 11

Clary was in shock. So in shock she was quiet for several minutes. Or hours. Or days. Or seconds. She really wasn't counting.

Jace finally spoke.

"So what do we do now?"

Good question. FREAKING GOOD QUESTION.

xxx

"The toe thing was the last thing he did to me before he got taken away."

"Same here."

"He was only ever home about once every three days or so."

"Same."

"He started to do it when I was about five. He used to do it and then reward me, for being brave and all. I even used to-to look forward to it because it was the only time I got to see daddy. But as I got older, he got angrier and angrier and he used to mutter and finally one say he just broke and he cut off my toe and I bled so much and it was just so horrible-"

Jace cut her off and wrapped her in a hug as he said the now familiar words.

"Same here." And then, with a note of raw despair, "Sister."

xxx

They stayed there, talking, until well after midnight. It was great, because Jace, unlike all those councilors and and therapists she had seen (they always said things like, "remember, though, hurting yourself won't make it any better." and she would say, "Why would I hurt myself? He already did that for me."), Jace really did understand. He didn't interrupt her and ask her how she felt about things, because that seemed glaringly obvious to Clary. And in turn, she listed to his nearly identical experiences. Maybe she should rephrase; it most defiantly wasn't "great". It was heart wrenching and painful and it brought back all the memories she had pushed down for two years, but it also felt good to finally get it all out on the table.

Her eyelids were heavy as she attempted to stand up and go back to her room. But her feet were so heavy, and her head felt filled with cotton, and she just couldn't seem to get anywhere, and look at those pretty lights, where were they coming from-

Jace scooped he'd up in his arms and carried her back to he'd room, gently laying her down in her bed and placing a soft kiss on her forehead before leaving her room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

She was out like a light.

xxx

She woke up to Isabelle peering down at her. "Why are you wearing a bathing suit?"

"Went swimming last night."

"Hmm? Was Jace there?" was it normal for Jace to randomly swim late at night?

"Yes."

"What did you guys do?" Isabelle looked disapprovingly at her down he'd nose, and Clary notice just how much she looked like Mayrse.

She recalled their conversations, their wonder at why Valentine didn't want then to know they were related, the utter oddness of sharing a toe, the bittersweet mixture of hatred and love they both felt for their father, and how Jace had had the gall to run away from home when he was 11 and be put into foster care. She thought about how Valentine had disappeared one night and never come back, of her mothers slow decent into addiction, and how finally the child care people had sniffed out their rotting apartment in Alphabet City and rescued her. She wondered where Valentine had gone on that third day that he didn't spend with either Clary or Jace, and about the tangled feelings of warmth and distrust and something else she felt for Jace. That thought about all that, but looked at Isabelle and said one word.

"...Nothing"

_** Sorry that this ones a shorty, but I had to get some of that out on the table to. I promise the next will be longer. And less angst! Maybe they will even start school! Oooo, now I'M excited... Review please! **_


	13. Chapter 12

Think of love as a card game:

first, get rid of the jokers,

throw away the hearts,

keep the diamonds...

then try to get a king - By Unknown

Chapter 12

"Get up, you lazy freaking bum, this ain't the weekend before summer ends no more, it's time fo school!" Isabelle said with her 'not trying TO hard to be bad ass accent'.

"And we better get you in English REAL soon. What do you have for first?" Clary asked teasingly. It had been a month since her altercation with Jace, and they had decided the best thing to do would be to keep it quiet. They had grown quite close over that month, along with her and Isabelle. She had even spent a sizable amount of time with Alec and sone with Max. "And why the HELL is it still dark outside?"

"You DO wanna look pretty for the first day of school, right?"

"Yeah, if I must."

"Then let's get started!"

xxx

"Isabelle! It's time to go!" Clary yelled as the both Lightwood parents positioned themselves by the door to say goodbye. It was a rare sight, both if them together. Clary noticed that Isabelle and Max had both inherited Roberts nose. Robert was a stubish man, not very tall at all, barley 5'8, so Isabelle certainly had gotten get height from her mother. However, Clary was still trying to figure out the resemblance between Robert and Alec. She really just wasn't seeing it.

Isabelle descended the stairs gracefully in platform 5 inch cheery red heels, a super short dark denim mini skit, and a slouchy white tank. Clary had suffered through the colorless name brands for a couple weeks before downright BEGGING Isabelle to let her buy her own clothes, so right now she was wearing a short droopy tulle skirt in light pink, a low scoop neck black shirt tucked into that, and intimation ballet shoes with the ribbon twined up to just under her knees. Her hair was done up in a messy bun, and her makeup was minimally done in sparkly shades of gold and light pink. The whole look screamed "artist".

Yum. She loved it.

Isabelle had left her hair down and straight, and her makeup was dramatic black eyeliner and this pretty icy blue eyeshadow Clary loved. They all posed together for a couple pictures for the Lightwoods, in a moment of rare parental affection, and waved goodbye to Max, who didn't start school for another week. They all piled into the car that they had decided to take today, a Porsche SUV. Alec and Jace up front, and her and Isabelle in back. They sang loudly to all the old rock songs on the radio as they made their way to school.

xxx

"They like to keep the kids here for the arts together, kind of like a support group." Isabelle told her as they walked down the brightly lit airy hallway to their shared first period class. They arrived in the English (Ah, the irony) classroom a few minutes before the bell, just as Isabelle had planned so that she could introduce clary to everyone. Jace was there, as well as Alec who had switched to Vocal. There were about twenty other kids besides them there, all of them VERY talkative. Isabelle introduced her to a few similarly clad females before the teacher clapped his hands once, and started speaking in a clipped but friendly voice.

"Please form a circle on the floor, thank you. Alright, let's introduce ourselves. I see LOTS of new faces." they all sat in a circle the teacher a few students away from Clary and Isabelle.

"Alright. I'm Ms. Lakeson. I'm thirty six, and I teach Advanced Placment English. This is the highest English class we offer at this school. For all of you juniors in here, you will have to take a college English class next year. Your turn."

"Cammy Belcourt. Senior. 18. Fashion design." Clary remembered that Isabelle had introduced them before. She was a blonde girl with curly hair, and she was extremely pretty.

"Tess Gray. Junior. 17. Acting." she was tall and elegant looking with dark eyes and dark hair. She seemed to have a permanently sad look on her face. And boy sitting beside her squeezed her hand as he said.

"Jem Cairstairs. Senior. 17. Music." he was pale and silvery and delicate looking, despite his large frame. Clary wondered if her was sick.

"Magnolia Bane. 16. Junior. Vocal music." She was a pretty dark haired girl with slightly asian features, and a husky voice that you would listen to just to hear her talk. Turns out Alec had good taste.

"Alec Lightwood. 17. Senior. Ath-er, Vocal music."

"Magnus Bane. I am 18 years old, a senior, and am hear for Vocal music just like Alexander and my dear, dear sister. And might I say, you both are looking ESPECIALLY fine this morning." Alec flushed and Magnolia looked at the shimmering boy slightly exasperatedly. the boy was literally shimmering, too. Her had on even more sparkly makeup than Clary in bold, bright shades, and had the sane slightly asian features as Magnolia. He had a drawling yet expression-ate voice with an underlying rough, intriguing note that would sound great when said voice was singing. So this was the gay guy, huh? He sure knew how to make Alec squirm.

"Jace Lightwood. 16. Junior. Music."

"Maia Roberts. 16. Junior. Theater." she was a pretty dark girl with curly dark hair and chocolate eyes.

"Aline Penhollow."An aloof, I'm-too-good-for-all-you-sorry-bitches voice came out of the darkly lipsticked mouth of a pale girl with jet black hair and dark eyes. She had a pointy chin and may have been pretty under the multitude of makeup she wore. Her blousey shirt fell open to reveal a little more than appropriate of her large breasts, and she seemed to be slightly slumped to accentuate this."17. Senior. I'm here on-" she paused dramatically, like everyone was just hanging on her every word,"-theater."

"Raphael Cortez. 16. Junior. Music." a hispanic guy who dos not look old enough to be a junior spoke in a heavily accented voice.

"Meliorn Fair. 18. Senior. Fashion design."

"Genny Herondale. 17. Senior. Art."

"Simon Lewis. 16. Junior. Music."

"Lillian Starkweather. 18. Senior. Art."

"Jaylyn Starkweather. 18. Senior. Fashion design." The two girls were identical. Every school has it's twins.

"William Aldertree. 18. Senior. Theater."

"May Flowers. 17. Junior. Art." Clary had to stifle a giggle at her name. Who named their May Flowers? Come ON.

"Jessamine Loveless. 18. Senior. Art."

"Clary Fray. 16. Junior. Art."

"Isabelle Lightwood. 16. Junior. Fashion design."

"Russell Gordon. 17. Senior. Music."

"Brandon Husted. 18. Senior. Music." there was only one person left.

"I'm Jonathan." he paused, his dark eyes seeming to wink mockingly at her. "Jonathan Morgenstern."

_**So I will be launching the two branch stories to this one, parts of my "All the pretty" series. The first part if both names will be all the pretty. For the Alec fic, I'm thinking "all the pretty girls and boys", and for the simabelle I'm thinking either "all the the pretty things I hate", "all the pretty I things I have", or just "all the pretty things." please tell me what you think!**_

_**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

_**_**Love you all! R&R **_**_


	14. Chapter 13

BUT IT ISN'T A FREAKING COMMON LAST NAME! Clary gave Jace the big scared eyes and he looked back at her with the same horrified/scared/holy-crap mask of confusion. Who was Jonathan, and why did he share a surname with them?

Clary had taken her mothers last name as her mother and father had never been married. Jace had used Valentines last name, but he was a Lightwood now, legally adopted, while Clary was still processing.

And then Clary remembered.

The third day.

She looked at Jace, and knew he remembered too.

xxx

All through the rest of the day, that was all she could think about. They did the weird get to know you circle in every class, but Clary spoke mechanically through her 6 core classes. First English (which doubled as Spanish somehow) then Math, Science, Social Studies and finally P.E. Her two special elective classes, Art and History of the Arts were next on her schedule. In Art she was not able to sink into the blissful abyss of drawing or painting. They had to do the STUPID NAME THING AGIAN, and she was uncomfortable because this was the only class she had with no one she knew. Most of the other kids in here seemed kind of geeky, too.

There were two periods of art and two of history of the arts, and comparing schedules she found put that she and Jace were the only two of the group with a shared next class, as Isabelle and Alec had it 7th. She had noticed that even though she, Jace and Isabelle were younger than Alec, they seemed to share quite a few classes. She guessed that they were honors students or something. Huh. Never would have guessed with Isabelle.

Art was finally over. A few if the girls had come over and introduced themselves, a girl named Grace (a/n my middle name!) and another that she couldn't quite remember. They both seemed nice enough, though. She walked down the hall, distracted, until suddenly hands grabbed her from behind and someone whisper-shouted. "Boo."

"Holy shi-!" she started before a hand covered her mouth.

"Calm down, it's just me sillypants." Jace said. Clary turned serious.

"We need to talk." Jace cut his eyes at all the people around them.

"Later." Clary opened her mouth to object, but Jace gestured at the very blonde boy watching them, and she nodded in consent. She was quiet for a few beats.

"Did you seriously just call me 'Sillypants'?" "You have a problem?" Clary noticed how different Jace acted around others compared to when he was alone with her. He was more smart alec-y and snarky, where as when it was just them he was sweet and vulnerable. Huh. Boys.

"No, just a question. When's your third birthday?"

"Next month thanks for asking. You're invited." "Oh?"

"Yeah. We're having it at the river. I can do THREE backflips off the big rock."

"Liar."

"I'm uninviting you!" Jace playfully pouted before poking her in the ribs and springing to the top of a desk. The teachers lecture began.

"This is history of the Arts, the arts meaning music, art and theater."

"No duh." Jace mumbled.

"In this class, you will not only be learning the history of the arts, you will also be sampling each one in quantaty. It is my therory that to untruly understand, you must experience." the entire front row was sprayed with foul spit when his tounge staccatoed on the 'p' in experience.

He was really quite discusting looking, to be honest. He was pale and jigglely, with about 4 chins, tiny squinty eyes, and a slighly too upturned nose. He had about an inch of scraggly blondish beard but was otherwise shiny bald, and he had a high, nasal voice.

"I am Mr. Fulton, and I will be you history of the arts teacher. It's eighth period now, so I'm sure that you all know eachother. Let's get down to business."

xxx

"Our first delve into the study of the Arts will be the Shakespearian time period. We will start with the theater. Do we have any actors or actresses-"

"I'm a thespian!" Aline stood up quickly in her tottering wedges, her hand flying in the air. Maya stood up too.

"You know was rhymes with thespian? Les-" "Shut up, Jace. Maya's cool."

"And Aline's smokin'. Its really nothing personal that she just looks like a l-"

"MR. LIGHTWOOD! I SEE THAT OUR PROBLEM FROM LAST YEAR HAS CARRIED OVER THE SUMMER! "

"It seems so." said Jace courteously.

"OUTSIDE! NOW!"

"He doesn't like me much." was all Jace said as he left the room.

xxx

Basically, all Mr. Fulton did was lecture them about Shakespeare and ended the talk with, "We will do a short reenactment of one of his more famous sonnets. Dismissed."

The bell rang two seconds afterwords, so everyone was already moving to the door when Jace reentered the room looking bored.

"You know, your voice is a little less grating when one is sitting in the hall. Maybe everyone should sit out there from now on." Clary giggled a little.

"Lightwood! Detention! You too, Miss... Fray?"

"No, it was Gay, just like your class."

"Double for both of you! Go!"

As Clary follows Jace's surly well worn path to the detention room, she wondered what she did.

But she smiled anyway.

_**Okay, so now because I foolishly have 3 stories going, I will be updating about every Monday, if not sooner. R&R! Thx! Oh and remember, if you wanna know the truth about these screwed up families (or some of it), make it to 150! **_


	15. Chapter 14

"So, what is the Institute mostly like?" Clary asked as they leisurely walk back to the mansion.

"Well, it's not all sucky teachers with no sense of humor, if that's what you're asking." Jace grinned. Clary giggled at the memory.

"But, like, are the classes hard? Since we're in mostly advanced." She, Jace and Isabelle had mostly advanced classes, all except for Chemistry for her and Jace, and Chemistry and math for Isabelle. Clary hated Chemistry with a passion.

"Just... Regular, you know? Not much harder than public schools."

They had been avoiding the topic of Jonathan for a while now, and since Jace hadn't been doing it, Clary decided to take the lead.

"Jace. What the hell was Jonathan talking about?"

"Maybe... He just has the same last name? It could be a coincidence, you know." Clary could hear the disbelief in his voice.

"You know that isn't true. He even-, well, he even looks like him. Same hair, eyes, build, everything." Clary looked Jace up and down, and it suddenly registered with her how unlike Valentine Jace looked. He was tall, but he was not as heavily muscled, and even through his tough exterior his face was much more gentle than the sharp planes that composed her fathers. And his eyes... Well, she figured he must have gotten them from his mom. His hair wasn't even the same shade of harsh white blonde.

She looked nothing like him, either. She looked like her tall, graceful, once beautiful mother with her flaming red hair, deep green eyes and light sprinkle of freckles splayed across her ski slope nose. Everyone told her her mother used to be beautiful, at least. Before her cocaine addiction. She didn't know who she got the shortness from, though. She had met both sets of grandparents before they had died and both had displayed considerable height as well. Well, whatever. This was just her overly active artists eyes taking in useless details.

"I know. We should ask, I think."

"Who?" Jace looked at her with concern.

"Do you even know what Roberts job is?" Clary gave him her best how-should-I-know-no-one-ever-told-me look.

"No...?"

"Oh. That's weird. Well, he works in government records. He could access this guys file and see who his parents are." he said matter-of-fact-ly. Clary felt a load lifted off her shoulders.

"Great! Let's hurry! Maybe he'll still be home!" she tugged on his sleeve and started jogging. Jace chuckled and followed.

xxx

Robert wasn't there when they arrived, Clary winded and Jace annoyingly not. They were informed by Mayrse that he would be there for dinner, though.

"Why? What do you want to know?" a look of understanding passed between Jace and Clary.

"Um... School stuff." Claryl lied smoothly. (Or so she hoped.)

"What is it? Maybe I can help."

"Do you happen to know what a Tri-quadratic pentanomial to eleventh power's formula would be?" Jace asked seriously. Mayrse looked lost. Another thing Isabelle had inherited from her mother: a complete lack of math skills. Clary grinned inwardly. There was no such thing as a Tri-quadratic equation. PLEASE.

"You better wait for Robert to get home. I have no I idea what that is."

"Neither do we." Jace replied cheerfully.

"C'mon, Clary, let's try to Google it."

xxx

"J-O-N-A-T-H-A-N M-O-R-G-E-N-S-T-E-R-N." Clary said as she typed the search onto Jace's computer and pressed ENTER. a multitude of answers popped up, most pertaining to Valentine Morgenstern and his arrest out of his-their home. WHAT HE DID TO HIS DAUGHTER, screamed one site, and another MORGENSTERN COMMITED TO HIGH SECURITY INSAIN ASYLUM EARLIER THIS WEEK. Obviously not high enough, since he had escaped not a year later. But that hadn't been put on the news for some reason. Huh. She scrolled through, Jace pulling a chair up next to her and peering intently over her shoulder. She clicked on every article that looked even slightly promising. It turned out Valentine had covered up his extra children very well. There were no mentions of Jace or Jonathan, only Clary, the BRAVE LITTLE GIRL, or THE TOURTURED TEEN, or even just VALENTINES DAUGHTER. There were mug shots of her from those first few days, her eyes red rimmed, her cheek still bruised from those last punishments. They showed pictures of her with her shirt up, revealing the ugly V on her back. It hadn't been a famous story, though, bespite the multitude of articles written on it, and Clary figured that that was why Jace had never hear if it. It was painful, and she was nearly crying after four hours of browsing through page after page on Google (though that may have just been from the harsh light of the computer moniter) when the dinner bell rang.

She peeled herself out of the chair, popped her aching back, and followed Jace downstairs.

xxx

They cornered the short man after dinner (which was amazing, as usual). He was sitting in a Lux red leather recliner in the living room when Jace and Clary appeared in front of him. "Robert. We need to talk." Jace said at exactly the same time Clary said. "Hey, Mr. Lightwood, can we ask you a question?"

He looked extremely uncomfortable as he said, "Yes, you may."

"There is this guy at school," Clary started. "With the same last name as my-our father." Mr. Lightwood looked shocked, and then a cloud of horrible realization washed over his face.

"You're right, Jace. We do need to talk."

_**Okay. I need fricken 14 reviews to be able to do the next chapter, and I know for a fact I have well over 60 people subscribing to this story, so I want to get those reviews. OKAY!**_

_**_**GIVE ME 14 REVIEWS! **_**_


	16. Chapter 15

"Jace. I'll talk to you first." he was silent for a long moment.

"Then talk." there was a steely edge to Jace's voice.

Clary wasn't sure she wanted to know the way Mr. Lightwood was looking at Jace as he began.

"Jace. You know how we never go to see any family of mine? That's mostly due to the fact that, well, I don't have much. Just a father and a stepmother that are alive now. You knew that my mother died when I was very young." He spoke formally, uncomfortably.

"But I do-did have one sibling. Step sibling. A sister named...Celine." Clary hear Jace draw in his breath sharply. "She and I weren't very close. She was a few years older than me, and she ran away when I was only 8. She was 13 then, and I heard years later that she had moved in with her boyfriend, Valentine Morgenstern. Our patents really made no attempts to find her, fearing her... Rebellious nature would reflect badly on the mayor of New York's family." Mayor of New York?

"And then I heard about 5 years ago that a woman named Celine Morgenstern had been killed in an armed robbery attempt, her husband and child left alone. They flashed a picture of you up on the screen, and, well, I knew what you looked like. I knew your last name, too, so I started to keep tabs on you. And when your name, Jace Morgenstern, showed up on the foster care ballet, I adopted you. Because, well, I'm as close to blood as you can get, right?" Robert rubbed his oddly familiar looking ski-slope nose.

"But then, a few years ago, you told me that Valentine had only been there some of the time that you where growing up. Every three days, I believe. And I thought that that was a bit suspicious. So I decided to delve deeper. I found out that Valentine had been keeping company with two other woman, and one of them..." He trailed off and looked at them regretfully before continuing. "One of them was my mistress."

Jace said nothing. Clary was unsurpurised that he had had mistress, but could it have been...

"It was Jocelyn Fray. And when that big story came out on the beatings, I made my...employer keep it on the down low, and just to stop looking after they found all the obvious facts. I couldn't have-couldn't have Jace hurt like that. But I got to looking at the little girl on the screen, and I thought about how much she looked like...well, like me."

And then everything clicked.

Clary reeled back in surprised discust, but Robert continued relentlessly on.

"And so I again kept an eye on you, but I lost track of you a couple years ago and until you surfaced in foster care, I had had no idea where you were. As soon as I saw your name on the roster, I knew that I had to adopt you, because you are my, well, daughter." clary tried to swallow the ball of grief and betrayal in her throat as she asked,

"How do you know for sure? Maybe-"

"I sent in some of your DNA for testing nearly as soon as you got here. It matched mine."

"And when did you plan on tell us this?" Jace said angrily.

"I-" Jace cut him off.

"Oh no, continue. We wouldn't want you to forget to tell us again. What about the third day?" There was unguarded pain in his voice.

Robert looked at Jace regretfully before shakily continuing. "The third woman, the second mistress. She-she had a child with him too. But this one one, she was much older than him, and the child came out..." He trailed off and after a long, pulsating silence, whispered so quietly she almost couldn't hear him, "...wrong."

"He is insane, and is currently in the mental institute where Valentine was confined. So you don't need to worry about him." Claris blood ran cold in her veins as she looked at Jace's drawn face, all signs of anger erased.

"I think," He said in a creepy calm voice, "we do."

_** Go read my forum DEDICATION! it should be low on the 1st page of MI forums or high on the 2nd.**_

_**_****_**_

_**_**_** Anyone who posts in my forum will get a sneak peak at the next chapter of this story!**_**_**_

_**_**_**_****_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** -playing **_**_**_**_


	17. Chapter 16

THREE WEEKS LATER

Robert Lightwood unfurled his hands from the tight fists they seemed to have been molded in for the past couple weeks, got up from his office chair, and left his place of work. His children thought they knew what he did, but they were wrong. His wife thought she knew, but she didn't. Jace seemed to have an idea, but if he did he never said anything, only sent covert, spiked looks at him whenever his "government records" job was brought up. Alec didn't know either, but he had no right, along with Jace. Maybe he would tell Isabelle and Clary and Max someday when he was older and retired. Maybe.

He was in a foul mood, so he walked along the streets bustling with businessmen and prostitutes. He chose one for the night, leading her the abandoned warehouse he kept for just this purpose, and he was finally able to take his mind off what he had done.

xxx

Jonathan hadn't come to school for the past few weeks, only attending the first few days, and Clary thanked the lord. Maybe Robert had gotten someone to catch him and haul him back to his psycho house. Whatever the reason, Clary didn't have to see him.

They had dropped into a normal school routine, her and Jace and Isabelle and Alec. Get up, have breakfast, small talk, and dre to school, Alec sullenly quiet the whole time. He had been that way since he had broken up with his girlfriend Magnolia. She wondered if he could somehow have found out about that conversation she had with Robert after Jace left... But no, that was impossible.

She hoped to god he never found that out.

xxxflashbackxxx

She was about to turn and go after Jace, who had left quickly after Robert had assured him something would be done about Jonathan, but she had felt Robert's hand on her arm, holding her back.

"Wait. Clary." she turned around and looked at him in disgust. He was pathetic.

"I-I know that you think badly of me for cheating on my wife. But she cheated on me to!" He sounded like a child trying to pin the blame on someone else.

"Whatever, Robert." she sneered, pulling out of his grasp.

"Does Alec look anything like me? DOES HE?" he said in a stage whisper-y voice as she turned and stalked away.

But she couldn't help two pairs of bright blue eyes running through her mind and couldn't help recalling Mayrse's lingering glances at Liam.

xxxendflashbackxxx

No. He could never know.

xxx

Jace leaned back, letting the piano chord dwindle off into nothing as he released the petal and flipped through his notebook of self-composed songs, looking for one that fit his mood. Ah, there's one. He let the first few melancholy notes drift before he began to sing.

The funny thing about breaking hearts is it

Starts slowly

A little rip a tiny tear and then

It opens

Clary's face ran through his mind, her expression when she had found out they they were brother and sister.

and now I see

What you did to me

You turned away

Before I could say

And then when thy found out they weren't brother and sister, how he had run. How that had made her feel.

I sure as hell didn't see this coming

You hit me hard

And then your gone

And I told you that I loved you but I was wrong

So wrong

And I wanted to I wanted to tell you

But now your gone.

And he had been trying to convince himself that he didn't like her like that because she was being adopted. They were practically brother and sister even now.

And I told you once I told you once

That we were so impossibly meant to be

But I sure didn't know

And people told me with true love there is so much pain

Well this it must be pleasure but why do I still ache?

He really shouldn't feel this way.

and now I see

What you did to me

You turned away

Before I could say

But he did anyway. He hit the delicate keys more savagely as hi mind old him over and over that he couldn't have her, that it was wrong.

I think you told me once you loved me

And as I look back I can finally see

I look at all my artfull words to me

And I realize...

All I do is lie.

He got up from the piano bench as the song ended with him singing a cappella.

All he does is lie.

_**A/N time! *woot***_

_**_**THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE YOU HAVE TO READ!**_**_

_**_**_**Thing # 1: the song is by ME, specifically written for this story. So it's allowed, thank you.**_**_**_

_**_**_**_**Thing # 2: I have a new review contest! At 200 we get to send c & j on a date!**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_**Thing # 3: I have a contest for you to! I will be letting one of my reviewers be clary's friend in this story! All you have to do is 1) review for This story saying you want to, and then 2) go to my forum, DEDICATION, and then go my discussion SPAM IN A CAN and tell me the name, description and attitude of your nominee. I will choose one (my fav description) and you will be clary's friend in art class!**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_**Thing # 4: I won't be updating as frequently because school is starting on the sixth. **_**_**_**_


	18. A very important authors note to read

_**Yes, this is an authors note. Hate on me if you want to, but I suggest reading before you do. I may spiral into incurable depression.**_

_**_**And some exciting news!**_**_

_**_**_**I have a contest for you.**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** I will be letting one of my reviewers be clary's friend in this story! All you have to do is:**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** 1) review for this story saying you want to, and then**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** 2) go to my forum, DEDICATION, and then go my discussion SPAM IN A CAN and tell me the name, description and attitude of your nominee. I will choose one (my fav description) and you will be clary's friend in art class!**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** On another note...**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** School is starting soon. Less updates.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** And for your information...**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** I just broke up with my boyfriend. Slightly depressed. Encouragement and love much appreciated.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** For all who enter on my forum, you will heh a short excerpt of my next chapter! *woot***_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** And I am looking for a beta for this story. Any who want, pm please.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Love y'all!**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Just to let you know, my broken heart may seep into next chapter a BIT.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** I know. I want it to get better to.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** I love you all...**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** ~Addi **_**_**_**_


	19. Chapter 17

"God, Isabelle, I'm coming already!" Clary shouted as Isabelle barged into her room. Clary gave one last tug to her über short shorts, one last fluff to her tame but curly hair, and one last swipe of mascara before turning and striking a pose for Isabelle's critical eye. "How do I look?"

"Like you need some serious time in a tanning bed." Isabelle inspected her own flawless tan in Clary's full length mirror. "Let's hit it up tomorrow, yeah?"

Clary laughed and rolled her eyes. "It's just a bonfire, Izzy. Not freaking, like-"

"I really don't care. First bonfire after school starts is important." Clary didn't have much experience with bonfires, having lived in the trashier parts of intercity New York for nearly her entire life, and had also never really had many friends. She had had no idea what to wear, but Isabelle had advised "beach wear", even though the bonfire was being held on some property that one of the uncles of someone at school owned about 45 minutes away. So, here she was in her shortest shorts, slip on leather moccasins, and a loose "save the whales" tank. Her hair was being good, and she had on light, natural makeup. Isabelle was in similar garb, except she had yellow cork wedges on.

They dashed down Jace's spiral staircase, easily accessed from Clary's room(s), and hopped up into the barstools in the kitchen below, waiting for the guys. It had been a few weeks since school had started, and Clary KNEW she should be working on the song that was due tomorrow for History of the Arts, but she would much rather be doing this instead. Hey, maybe inspiration would strike. Their teacher, Mr. Fulton, was a firm believer that one must EXPERIENCE to LEARN. To understand the history of songwriting, apparently, they had to write a touchy-feely song about their recent experiences. BLECH.

Clary jerked as footsteps pounded over head, and she slipped off the barstool, Isabelle just behind her. Jace and Alec walk into the room... Oh. YUM.

Jace looked freaking SEXY. Black shorts accented his golden tan, with a bright blue shirt that made his hair and eyes pop out. Flip-flops and a light athletics jacket finished the look. The shirt was stretched tightly across his muscled chest, and his hair was a bit shaggy, hanging loosely just above his eyes.

Alec was characteristically dressed in shades of brown and black, that seemed to match his darkened personality of late. He looked good, though, Clary surmised as she let her gaze travel back to Jace and up to his face. He smirked at her.

"Like what you see?" Clary fought down a blush.

"If you're talking about that delicious looking plate of lasagna behind you, then yes, I do." Isabelle shot her an unreadable look, but said nothing. Jace winked discreetly. Alec sighed loudly. Clary picked up a knife.

"WOAH!" was the general chorus.

"Yeesh, yee of little faith. I'm just gonna cut up dinner." She joked. "You would think I was an axe murderer."

"Little girls shouldn't play with knives." Jace mumbled loudly.

"Big boys shouldn't annoy little girls with knives and an attitude problem."

"Touché." Jace surrendered.

"You two are disgusting." Isabelle squinted. "The way you flirt." Clary looked shocked.

"I'm not flirting with Jace!" Isabelle merely cocked an eyebrow. Clary caught Jace staring at her.

"WELL." Alec said loudly. "Can we eat please? I just wanna get this bonfire over with."

Clary plunged the knife into the lasagna.

xxx

The bonfire was huge. And hot. And crowded. And FUN AS HELL.

That is, if hell was fun.

Yeah, you get it.

There was loud music and food that Clary and Isabelle didn't eat and a keg of crappy beer that Isabelle drank but Clary didn't (well, maybe a sip or two), and masses and masses of BOYS. Unfortunately, Clary was coming to find, she was only interested in one.

The only one she couldn't have.

Around 9 o'clock, as the party that had been going pretty strong since five began to wind down, Genny Herondale, whos uncle owned the property and who had thrown the party raised her voice.

"And now what you've all been waiting for. The annual start of the year game of-" her own shout was drowned out by the crys of her many guests as they all shouted in unison. "TRUTH OR DARE!"

xxx

It stared the way any game of truth or dare might start ("Cammy, I dare you to... lick Rafael's armpit." "Tessa, have you ever... Had sex?") but quickly evolved into a very intense game of Dare. (Jem, I dare you to make out with Mia.")

And they got worse, putting most of the couples around the now dying down bonfire in a lot of awkward situations. ("Russell, I dare you to take Lillian into the woods and do something together you never have before.")

Clary, Isabelle, Jace and Alec seemed to escape most of the really bad dares (except for one involving Isabelle, Clary and large quantaties of spilled beer), and now they were just waiting until the party was going to end. It was slowing down, the dares getting stupider and weirder, and Clary was just about to call it a night.

"Clary. Truth or dare?" Clary turned. Aline.

"Um, dare?" Aline looked evilly satisfied.

"Okay. I dare you to..." she pretended to think.

"Kiss Jace. Right here. In front of everyone." There was a loud moan of protest.

"No!"

"Gross!"

"Isn't that incest?"

"They're not really related, are they?" Aline asked innocently. "It's not incest of they aren't related."

Murmurs of consent.

"Yeah, I guess that's okay." said Ginny. "But after this, I think we should probably all go home so me and my cousins can start to clean up."

Ali, who Clary knew from art class and who was next to Clary pushed her up and into the circle, and Brandon, next to Jace, did the same. He looked as sick as Clary felt.

They were close now. He was looking down at her. Clary knew people were shouting, telling them to hurry up, but Clary couldn't here them. There was only Jace and his words.

"I'm sorry." he mummered, and then he leaned down and kissed her.

_** Someone asked in an anonymous review a few chapters ago for a family tree thingy. Here you go, random person.**_

_**_** Jocelyn+Robert=clary**_**_

_**_**_** Valentine+celine=jace**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Robert+Mayrse=Isabelle,max**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Mayrse+William=alec**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** A/n time! Oh yes.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** 200 REVIEWS AND CLARY AND JACE GO ON A REAL, LIVE... UM, REAL DATE!**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Well... That was a good chapter, no? Yes? No? Yes? You should probably tell me when you review, which I know you will do because I have faith in you... RIGHT?**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** This is the new character that we will be introducing next chapter. I'm quite excited. HEHEHEHE!**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Forum: Dedication**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Topic: SPAM IN A CAN.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** .net/topic/95696/47442500/1/#48357682**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Reply:**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** - Poster: potterchick338**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Heyy so here I am applying for a character for story All the Pretty I Can't See... I hope you pick my character!**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Name: Alexandra (Ali) Chase**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Looks: Ali has plenty of tattoos. Not runes, just normal tattoos. She also has a nose ring and and plenty of piercings in her ears. She's about 5'6" and super skinny. Ali has a pixie cut and her hair is caramel colored with several streaks of purple.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Personality: Even though Ali's appearance may be a little out there, she's really nice. Most people keep their distance, but once you get to know Ali she's super cool. Ali loves every type of music, except country. She doesn't care what other people think of her, she thinks people should express themselves however they want to.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** THANK YOU TO POTTERCHICK338, MY CURENT FAVORITE PERSON, BETA (lookinbetterthanyouinblack) EXCLUDED, OF COURSE. I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M WRITING THIS ALL IN CAPS.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** HAHA YOU GET TO HEAR EVERYONE'S SONGS NEXT CHAPTER HAHAHAHAHA!**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** Sorry. I was (am?) feeling kind of random. Hehe love you all who bother to read this.**_**_**_**_

_**_**_**_** ~Addi (playing)**_**_**_**_

_**_**_** **_**_**_


	20. Chapter 18

Well.

She HAD needed inspiration for her song, she supposed.

She sure as hell had some of that now.

Well.

She started to write.

xxx

You are you

And I am me

And I am blind

Cuz you're all I see

But there still is

No hope or love

And ignorance

Is our savior dove

Yes, you don't know

And I can't tell

Because we can't be

It's not allowed

I'm a good girl

I don't break rules

And you and me

Are heartbreak tools

And your face

Turns away

And I know you don't

Love me today

But I still look

And I still year

And I wonder when

My heart will learn

Yes, you don't know

And I can't tell

Because we can't be

It's not allowed

I'm a good girl

I don't break rules

And you and me

Are heartbreak tools

You are you

And I am me

And I am blind

Cuz you're all I see

I'm a good girl

I don't break rules

And you and me

Are heartbreak tool

You and me

Are heartbreak tools

She finished reciting her song to the class and was greeted by somber silence before everyone started to clap. Clary returned, blushing, to her seat, her mind playing the kiss in her head over and over.

And over.

And over.

xxxflashbackxxx

His lips were soft and smooth and tasted like Budweiser and peaches and something else she couldn't quite name... But she was to wrapped up in him to care.

xxxendxxx

"Excellent job, Miss Fray." said Mr. Fulton. "Any volunteers for next?"

Jace raised his hand.

"Mr. Lightwood?" he rose and went to stand at the front of the classroom.

"I will be singing my presentation." he said smoothly, and Clary could swear three girls swooned.

"Mr. Lightwood, you know that as a music student not committed to the vocal arts that is not required on this project-"

"No," he said, looking straight at her. "I want to."

xxxflashbackxxx

His hand slowly went from her chin to her hair where it tangled itself, and her fingers curled around his golden locks, the soft tendrils caressing her hands as they wove themselves in.

xxxendxxx

This is so crazy

I'm not sure I

Want to like it

But I do anyway

But I have to be

A big boy now

I don't get what I want

So I pull away

I'm so sorry

I just want to say

I wish

I could stay, hey

I'm so sorry

So sorry

I'll come back again

If you'll just let me in

Watching you from

across the room

Hurts so much

Right now

You won't even

Look my way

I want you back

I just can't think of how

I'm so sorry

I just want to say

I wish

I could stay, hey

I'm so sorry

So sorry

I'll come back again

If you'll just let me in

I'm always here when

you will let me in

xxxflashbackxxx

And then he had pulled away so abruptly c Clary had kissed air for a second, and had looked at her with an unreadable experssion before turning to walk back to the car.

xxxendxxx


	21. Chapter 19

Jace could feel something inside him, something sharp and painful and uncomfortable inside his chest, like glass lodged in his heart. Something he had never felt before.

Something like breaking.

To think that he had done that to her, the sorrow and hut in her song, the pain in those words she had said, it killed him.

He would fix it.

xxx

Clary was so confused as she walked out if history of the arts she kept bumping into people and almost running into walls as she started on her way to her last class of the day; art.

He had walked away, but his song...? He had kissed her, but he had-

There was a hand in her shoulder. She turned and opened her mouth to-

Jace.

He looked at her his golden eyes burning into her green ones, and pulled her into one of the nearly empty corridors of the main hallway. People scurried by, writing down homework assignments and texting, all hooding to get to their next class on time, and the hallway was left deserted in under 15 seconds, as this was an academic wing and everyone had electives last period.

They started at the same time.

"Clar-"

"Ja-" she looked at him and half smiled, and he returned her bittersweet look before continuing.

"Clary. I.. I didn't want to stop. But I-"

"Had to. I know." she said softly.

"It's just... I... We live together, Clary. This is so hard. But... I want you to know that I feel the same way you do." He said earnestly, then stumbled. "I mean, maybe not- maybe you don't like me like I like you...?" he trailed off, looking at her with a question in his eyes.

"No. You're right. I don't like you." his face fell.

"I think it's more along the lines of love."

xxx

Jace could have danced or yelled or run a mile with the exhilaration that Clary's words brought, but instead, he simply gently angled her face toward his and kissed her.

She tasted like the fruit salad she had had for lunch and peppermint lip balm, which probably doesn't sound that food, but it was. Her lips were soft and velvety and she gasped a little as the made contact, but quickly got into the rhythm of his mouth. They kissed for what seemed like several lifetimes, but was probably only a minute or two...

She broke away first, sliding her small tongue out of his mouth and attempting to catch her breath before semi-gasping, "I- need to get to art."

He smiled and pecked her on the forehead. "See you later. At detention" she paled a bit but leaned into his touch.

"Yeah, I guess. I better go."

"Bye." the words didn't seem like enough, but he didn't want to be cheesy or to forward. She grinned, turned, and headed away. He smiled as he hummed his way to music.

xxx

Clary got to art, and she painted her joy.

xxx

meet me in the cupola 4?-j

Clary smiled as she read the text on the bright autum afternoon. After spending detention together, Jace had had to go make amends with his soccer coach for missing practice. He had offered Clary the car so she could get home, but she had opted to walk instead and enjoy the beautiful colors that swirled around her in New York this time of year.

:):)of course- clary

She shoved her phone into the back pocket of her Hollidter once-destroyed jeans that she had made a few Clary-improvements to. (patches, sticks, paint) and hopped up the last steps to the front of the giant mansion.

Pulling the door open with one hand and taking her 10 pound backpack off with the other, she yelled, "I'm home!"

No answer. Odd, usually Isabelle would come running down the stairs of Alec would at least yell for get to shut up. Hm.

She jogged upstairs, and heard... Music? coming out of Alec's room.

Without thinking twice, she pulled open the door and went in.

Alex was bent over a guitar, looking mournful and strumming while his lips played an equally downcast tune.

Didn't mean

To break

The fragile

That was us

Or not us

Wondering what this was about, since Jace was usually the one into writing heartbroken songs, she coughed uncomfortably. He stopped abruptly, putting a hand over the softly vibrating string to cut them off sharply.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What are you doing in my room?"

"Seeing what you were doing."

"Oh." it was silent for a minute.

"You can go now." Clary felf momentarily embarrassed as she turned to leave, pausing at the door.

"Who was that song for?" Alec looked at her, then looked away, hiding his eyes.

"Nobody- Nothing. For history of the arts."

Reflecting on her song for history of the arts, she raided her eyebrows at his unseeing face and left as he picked up where he left off, his honey sweet voice full of emotion.

Missing what I

Never knew was gone.

xxx

A strange and unfamiliar sound was issuing from Isabelle's room when Clary started to make her way down the hall; silence.

Obviously, something was very wrong.

She opened the door and peeked her head in just far enough so she could see the crumpled figure on the ground; she rushed in.

"Isabelle! Are you hurt?" Clary knelt by her side.

Isabelle looked up at her, face streaked with tears. "No." she sniffled. "I'm f-fine."

"No, you aren't." Isabelle NEVER cried. Something was up. "Isabelle, you can tell me. What happened?"

There was silence for a moment as a bitter, angry look appeared on her face. "Miah." she said coldly. "Miah happened."

?

"What? What do you mean? I thought you liked Miah." they had hung out with Miah and Ali a few times after school, and Isabelle had seemed okay with them both. She had really taken a shine to Ali, however. They cracked each other up, however skeptical Isabelle was about Ali's slightly... Eclectic appearance.

"Miah started dating Simon. She asked him out at lunch today."

"Simon..? What? Why do you care?" Clary asked, bewildered. Isabelle glared at him through tear dampened eyes.

"Clary. I like Simon."

Oh.

_** Xxxxxxxx**_

_**_** Yes, I gave you clace. At 200 reviews, they get a date. Give me them soon, folks. **_**_


	22. Chapter 20

She climbed up the last two rungs and pulled herself off the ladder and onto the dusty attic floor. Clary breathed in the smell of warm light and old maple wood as she looked around the sunbathed space, letting her eyes linger on the precarious piles of books, their crackling pages adding a homey, soothing musk, and the old green velvet couch next to a large window with widely spaced iron crosshairs intersecting the original, bubbly glass from the 18 hundreds. Brightness fell in lazy waves of dusty gold as the afternoon and a feeling of an older time sept in around the edges of the room. She closed her eyes and luxuriated in the feeling of the world as it was not so very long ago; a simpler, seemingly more surreal place that had softer edges and more time to walk in gardens, flirtatiously and properly courting gentlemen with your parasol in one hand and your other on his arm.

"I thought I told you four." Hm, there was her "gentleman" now. She snapped forward, spinning on her heel and turning to face him. Clary could never quite get over how beautiful Jace had looked just then, with sunlight caught in his hair and his eyes reflecting the pale gold serenity of the afternoon. Beautiful. A word Clary used sparingly and carefully, almost as carefully as she used the word love.

Both could be applied to Jace and be completely true.

That afternoon would be forever imprinted in her memory.

Perhaps Jace could see the reminiscent tint to her eyes, or perhaps Jace was just being Jace, but he took her hand, kissing the top and bowing formally to her.

"Would you care to dance?"

Suppressing the silly giggle she was tempted to let shatter this bliss, Clary preformed what she thought was a highly understated curtsy and placed her right hand in his outstretched one as his right came around and rested lightly on her waist. She twined her fingers with his as they started to dance.

It began fast and stiff, a clipped four stepping waltz, but slowly it evolved into a romantically paced thing with lots of twirls and dips and standing on Jace's feet because they were dancing so close. It ended when he guided her over to the couch, laying down against her and watching the way the light beams fizzed up abruptly with their parallel golden strands as dust rose from the emerald velvet each time they moved.

xxx "So, Clary."

"Yes, darling?" They were in Jace's room, and it was late October, and all secret sunbathed meetings in the attic forgotten because of the lack of modern heating in there. It was going to be a fridge until mid-spring, Jace told her. Clary couldn't wait until summer again. She loved the attic and the cupola, which was even colder. "I was thinking I could take you out to dinner tonight." She turned to face him.

"How do you know I don't have plans?"

"Checked your agenda board in your room thins morning."

"Stalker."

"We live together, retard."

"Touché."

"Alors allez-vous dîner avec moi ou quoi, mon amour?"

"I don't speak french, my bi-lingual friend. All I caught was 'love' at the end."

"You said touché. You were trying to sound French."

"Was not."

"Was to."

"Was not."

"Was to."

"Was not."

"Was- you know I can do thins all day, right?"

"Just tell me what you said, Jace." he ginned at her devilishly.

"When are you going to pose na-"

"That was not what you said."

"I thought you didn't speak French? For all you know, I could have been asking you to rip your cloths off and have se-"

"Just tell me what you said."

"Fine." Jace pouted. "I said, 'So will you go to dinner with me or not, my love?'"

"Ah!" Clary crooned. "Your love? How sweet! I forgive you!"

"Forgive me for what?"

"For calling me a retard."

"Mm." There was a long pause.

"So."

"So?"

"Will you go?"

"Sure." Jace grinned as he buried his face in her hair.

xxx

A real date. For some reason, that made Clary feel like this free fall of a relationship was more permanent than hushed kisses in the upstairs room and stolen glances no one noticed. I felt like she and Jace were something.

In other words, she was terrified. What if someone saw them? It wasn't exactly appropriate to be dating your foster brother, was it? Even worse when your foster brother is the hottest guy in the school.

But instead of thinking about this, she just keeps curling her hair in the cut glass mirror and radiating happiness.

xxx

Jace drove her to the restaurant. As she had noticed before, there comings and goings weren't really noticed now that all Izzy did was pine over Simon and all Alec did was write depressing songs in his room. They drove away without much notice, except for Isabelle walking in and telling her to go for black mascara for a date and then bursting into tears because she didn't have anyone. Very un-Izzy like. Clary would have to check that out later. The restaurant was fancy, the food was small, and it was all very distant and un-jaceandclarylike. 45 minutes into dinner Clary was ready to leave.

"Jace." she stage whispered across the table, and that was all that needed to be said. Jace slapped a wad of bills on the table, stood up and walked out of the restaurant, Clary following eagerly behind.

xxx

"Look at that one. It's Apollos belt." Jace whispered as they both laid back on the damp, cool grass in a brightly moonlit portion of Central Park.

"I don't know any constellations."

"That's all I've got, I'm not gonna lie." Clary giggled and burrowed deeper into Jace's arm as they laid in contented silence in the small grove of trees in a world famous park in the city of dreams.


	23. Chapter 21

Jace walked her to her room after the date, formally kissing her hand before pulling her in to give her a good, long one on the lips. She could still feel them sparking from his touch as pulled her door open-

"Where have you been?" Isabelle was sitting on her bed, looking accusatory. Clary stopped.

"Um...out."

"With Jace, right?" she glared, her eyes still bloodshot from crying.

"What- no-"

"Don't lie to me, Clary." she stood up, towering over Clary's aright height in jet black five inch stilettos. "You. Went. On. A. Date. With. Jace. Right?"

"Y-yes." All the air seemed to come out of Isabelle as she slumped on to the bed.

"God, not this again."

xxx

Clary was frozen. She must have stood there for a food minute without speaking, staring at Isabelle's beaten expression.

"Again?" the word she had wanted to say with careless grace slipped out of her mouth sounding icy and hard and scared.

"Again." Isabelle confirmed. "It's happening again. You think you love him, but he will never love you back. It's what happened to the last one." Clary could feel something twisting inside of her.

"There was another?"

"Yes. You know all the crap Dad fed you about being a 'long lost daughter' and how this was his twisted way of making it up to you? Complete bull shit. This was his way of filling the gap that was made because of Jace and his stupid, stupid mistakes. This was his way of trying to make up for Jace to us. Because Jace is his messed up nephew with a twisted sense of right and wrong that got all messed up because his daddy used to beat him. And you know what? I'm sick of this-this game they have going on, so I'm going to tell you straight up; you are NOT related to my dad, and he an Jace are both completely insane. Runs in the family. Jace's dad had it too. We like to call it the 'Lightwood Bug'. I don't seem to have it, but Hell, it could set in any time. Lucky Alec is safe, since he isn't really a Lightwood, but me and Max will probably be on bipolar meds pretty soon and God knows what else to keep us from ending up like them. You still think you love him?"

Clary was still frozen, trying to process what had just been told to her.

"Well?"

"This- other girl. What happened to her?" Isabelle have her a measured stare.

"Who said it was a girl?"

xxx

"Jamie and Jace got here at around the same time, Jace a little before Jamie. My father wanted to look good because at the time he was running for mayor, and what makes you look better than not one, but TWO foster children? So yeah, we got them both. Nobody liked Jace. He was an arrogant asshole and he still is, and we all knew the reason he was here. But Jamie was different. He was the sweetest, kindest, most caring person I have ever met. So, of course, Jace chose him to hurt, because besides being a great person, Jamie was gay. All Jace does is turn on the charm, light up his face at the right times and smile and look pretty and anyone could fall in love. So he and Jamie started to have a thing. We could all tell. I know Alec wouldn't admit it to himself even, but I think he was jealous of one of them." Isabelle was crying, but she kept going. "And then Jamie came to my room one night and told me that he was in love with Jace and that he was going to his room to tell him, and I tried to warn him but he just got mad and left and then the next morning we found him and his wrists oh god he was in the bath tub and his wrists were slit and ohgodtherewassomuchblood..." she was shaking now, wracked with throbbing sobs, curled on Clary's lap as she cried and cried and cried many years worth of pent up tears. And Clary held her and held her and held her and cried too.


	24. Chapter 22

**Don't read flashback # 2 if you don't want a little steam.**

*Flashback*

2 years ago

July, 2009.

Isabelle was standing on the front steps of her house, with her brother and mother as they waited for her dad to bring her new brother home. His black Mercedes pulled into the driveway. She couldn't help it; she was excited. She didn't know the back story yet, only knew that it wouldn't just be boring Alec and her anymore. She pulled the crumpled picture out of her pocket again. He looked like a little boy still, with blonde curly hair and and huge, innocent golden eyes. She hoped he wasn't another goody-goody like Alec. She hoped he was someone she could have some fun with. The feelings of excitement boiled inside of her stomach, making her feel slightly sick in the cool morning air, but that might be something else to. She momentarily tried to remember if she and Chandler had used protection at the end of school party last month, but it was all and alcohol induced haze now. Whatever. She could get it fixed up. She had before.

She squinted in the bright morning sunlight, pulling her stick-straight black locks nervously, hoping that there was at least some volume left. She didn't want to make a bed first impression.

Her dad popped the drivers side door, saying a few words to whoever was inside before slamming it shut and circling around the back. Now the passenger door was opening. She saw a golden tab hand, a shade that was impossible to obtain in a tanning bed, and the a boy emerged.

A beautiful boy.

Isabelle knew what she wanted.

She was going to get it.

*Flashback End*

Clary sat on the edge of her bed now, her raggedy breathing slowly calming. She was trying to process what had just been told to her when a thought struck her.

"Isabelle? Did something- did something happen with you and Jace?

*Flashback*

2 years ago

August

"Jace!" Isabelle called loudly. She sat on the edge of her bed, her best (and smallest) pajamas on. It was eleven o'clock at night, but he was just one room over. She wouldn't wake anyone else up.

He strode in, wearing just basketball shorts, his hair and chest still slick with water from his shower. She felt something tingle deep in her belly.

"I heard you singing earlier." she said, letting just a hint of desire creep into her voice. Jace, voice devoide of emotion, replied.

"Oh. Okay." That was the one thing she hated about him. He was so sexy, and she wanted him despratly, but she also wanted his passion, his anger, his emotions. That would make it better. She stood up, walking slowly over to him, and she could see a smirk playing with the corners of his lips. _Damn_ he was hot. She got up on her tiptoes, leaning into him, pressing herself against him to whisper in his ear.

"Is was really good." she slid his hands around her waist, pulled herslf closer.

"Really?"

An then her mouth was on his, she was pushing him onto the bed and pressing her parts against his parts.

First off were her clothes, and he was saying something she couldn't hear, but it didn't matter because he obviously wanted this too. Then his shorts, with this stupid drawstring, and she couldn't get them off so she ripped them, her teeth tearing into them like a predators fangs into fresh meat, and then there was only Jace...

*Flashback end*

Isabelle looked at her, shocked.

"No. Never."

**_Haha! Now we are FINALLY getting into it! WOOT!_**


	25. Chapter 23

Isabelle point of view

Isabelle had always been an excellent liar. Sometimes she was so good that she nearly forgot she was lying. But now, telling Clary that she and Jace hadn't had something, that they weren't meant to be together, she knew that she wasn't telling the truth. Whether he realized it or not, they were meant for each other, and some retarded little red-head with an attitude problem couldn't change that. But she needed to get rid of any distractions Jace might have from her, and so she would just have to break Clary to the point of no return.

xxx

"Hey Clary?" Isabelle knocked lightly on the door before slipping in. "You okay?"

Clary shook her head numbly. She had been like this for the past hour. So weak.

"Anything I can do to help?" Another head shake. Triumph flared momentarily in Isabelle's chest. This was so much easier than she had thought it would be.

"Well, let me know if you need anything. I can bring you dinner in your room if you don't want to see him." A nod. Good. She didn't want to have her see Jace. That could result in a conversation, which could unravel this tangled mess of lies. And that couldn't happen. At least, not until Clary was... Disposed of.

Juat like Jamie.

Jace point of view

He couldn't find her anywhere, and he was starting to get desperate.

"Hey Alec?" he leaned casually against the door frame. "Where's Clary? I've been looking for her everywhere."

Alec looked up broodingly through thick, dark lashes. "Have you tried her room, smart one? And why do you want to know?"

Well, her room. That might have been a good place to start, he admits. "Just wanted to know. I need to talk to her."

Alec looked up at his, a guitar perched in his lap precariously.

"You've been good for her, Jace. And she's helped you, too. Helped all of us get over-" His voice cracked and he looked down.

Jace opened his mouth, and then closed it. He rested his hand on the dark haired boys shoulder for a second before gently pulling away and exiting the room.

xxx

"Clary?" Jace rapped softly on the door. "Are you in here?" He could hear her breathing, but there was no reply. He let the door creak open.

She was nowhere to be seen. "Clary?" He glanced around the room, but there was still breathing.

"Clary, where are-" She was crouched on the other side of the bed, staring up at his with eyes filled with...

Terror.

"Clary, what-?" he reach out his hand, and she shrunk away.

"Don't touch me, you sick freak." Jace was taken aback.

"What? Clary, where is this coming from?" He felt like there was something iron and hard clenching his heart.

"Get away from me."

"Clary, why-?"

"I said get away from me!" All of a sudden, she was up and thrusting him away from her, and he was stumbling into a wall. His head snapped back, and his vision went blurry for a moment. When his eyes cleared again, Isabelle was holding Clary's shoulders, looking at her with concern.

"Um, Clary? Can you at least tell me what I did wrong?"

Isabelle looked up at him, and when she spoke her voice was completely devoid of emotion.

"I told her about Jamie. She never wants to see you again."

Jace stumbled out of the room and threw up.

**Ooooh! What's gonna happen now? Haha I know, but you don't (yet). WHEN WE GET UO TO 250 REVIEWS, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ISABELLE FLASHBACK! So review your little butts off! Soon all be revealed:) MERRY CHRISTMAS!**


	26. Chapter 24

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." he said to the maid one more time. He had tried to clean up the mess by himself at first, but realized that he had no idea how, and had eventually called housekeeping. The maid didn't seem upset, but he couldn't stop apologizing for some reason.

He walked to his room in a daze. He couldn't believe- he loved Clary. And he couldn't believe she would turn on him for something like that. It hadn't been his fault, not really. At least that was what the counselor had said.

He had to talk to her, even if it was to be the last time. Even if she hated him.

X

He didn't even bother knocking on her as he strolled into her room that night.

She was sitting in her bed, clutching something to her chest, fresh tear tracks on her face.

"Clary?"

She was silent for a long moment.

"Why?" she said, her voice cracking. Jace felt His heart collapse a little. He glanced at what she was holding. It was a note he had sent her a long time ago.

"I-I thought I was-you know. I didn't know that he-and I-" he stuttered off, gazing at her face. "I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought it would make you not like me."

"Well, it did." All of a sudden, Jace was angry.

"If I knew you hated gay and bi people so much, I never would have dated you either!" he said violently. She looked at him curiously.

"What? I don't hate gays."

"Then why are you being like this?"

"Becaus you ripped his heart out of his chest and stomped on it. You made him commit suicide." Jace felt as if he had been hit.

"That's- that's what Izzy said?"

"Yes."

"But-" Jace started. "-that's not true. I told him that I love him," He looked at Clary cautiously, "And he told me he loved me too, and then the next morning- he was-he was-"

Clary frowned. "That's not what Izzy said. And why would I believe you?" she sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

"Clary." he knelt down on the floor, looking up at her."Clary, I love you, and I want to be with you. Just-just try to believe me, okay? Think about it."

He got up and left the room.

X

Clary knocked on Isabelle's door. "Izzy? Izzy, can I come in?"

"Yeah." was the muffled reply. She opened the door.

And screamed.

X

Jace heard Clarys scream. He ran to her room, but there was no Clary. He looked, and saw the door that was connected to Izzys room. He twisted the knob. Locked.

He took a few steps back and charged the door, busting into Izzys room.

Izzy looked up from what she was doing.

"Damn it, Jace. I didn't want to have to do this, but you will never love me like I love you. And now you know my little secret."

Jace stood frozen as she plunged the already bloody knife into him.

'Clary' was his last concious thought.


	27. Chapter 25

The first thing he thought of when he woke up in ICU was her. He sat straight up, and was bombarded by the sensation of hundreds of tiny needles being ripped out of his skin.

"Clary!" his mouth felt like there was a giant wad of cotton in it, and his stomach-oh, God-

"Mr. Lightwood, we need you to lay back down." said a doctor. Two nurses took him by the shoulders.

"Clary! Where is Clary?" he screamed. He didn't care how much pain he was in. He could deal with pain.

"We need you to lay back down!" Said the doctor.

"Let me see Clary first!" he said. He felt panic spreading through him. There was a sharp prick in his arm, and everything went black again.

Xxxxxlinexxxxxx

The next time he woke up, Alec's worried face was three inches from his.

"Jace? You need to get up. Right now. Me and Magnus broke in, but you need to wake- oh, you're awake." Jace groggily lifted his head.

"Whaaaa-? What's going on?" he rolled over, and immediately his stomach clenched with pain.

"We need you to come. Here, Magnus, help

me put him in this chair-" Jace felt them lift him.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked. The world around him was hazy, and he couldn't quite remember what had happened.

"There's-there's somebody you need to-say goodbye to." said Alec. Jace could hear his voice crack a little on the last syllable.

"What? Who?"

"Jace-"

"Who?"

"Clary."

And then he remembered. He remembered the blood and Isabelle and the yelling and Clary's eyes looking at him as everything faded away. He felt a burning hatred.

"Where. Is. Isabelle." he said, letting malice seep into his voice as Magnus wheeled him down the hall.

"Mental institution. Turns out she's been stalking you for years. Journals, naked photos, the lot. She was insane. Got it from Dad, I bet. They had us all tested for disorders, and Max seems to have mild paranoia or something. I was the only one with nothing wrong.

"That's because Robert's not your father. It's Liam." said Jace distractedly.

Alec stopped in his tracks and Jace looked back at him, feeling vaguely guilty.

"Sorry. I probably shouldn't have said it like that."

"No, it's...I already knew." said Alec, starting to walk again. Jace nodded and thought back to that fateful day, wondering-

Wait a second.

"Why-why am I saying goodbye?" he asked, his voice choked.

"Jace...she-it doesn't look like she's going to make it."

Xxxxxxxxlinexxxxxxxxx

Her face was scored up and down with deep scratch marks, and that was all Jace could see of her body. Her green eyes were shut, and her breathing was irregular. They had taken her off life support. It wouldn't do any good now. Nobody had come to see her. Only family were allowed, otherwise that idiot Simon might have been there, but it was only them. Alec wheeled Jace up to the side of her bed, and then leaned down and whispered a few words to her. He kissed her lightly on the forehead before backing out of the room and quietly closing the door.

Jace cleared his throat. His raspy voice filled the small space, though he wasn't speaking loudly.

"Hey Clary. I'm-I'm hear. And I was going to say goodbye, but-but I don't think I can." his eyes prickled. "And I'm not sure what that says about me, except maybe that I love you way to much to ever let you go. And even with all those scratches on your face, you are still the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I'll miss you. But someday, if I'm lucky, I'll see you again. Maybe even spend eternity with you. So, really, of you think about it, this short time we've known each other isn't really enough time to say goodbye. It's more like-it more like hello." he was sobbing now.

"Don't cry, Jace." her voice was so quiet he could barley hear it. He suppressed a gasp.

"Clary?"

"Don't interrupt. It's so anno-annoying." her breath stuttered a little. "I'll wait for you. I'll always wait. Go out, date, and get marr-married, but I'll always wait for you, if you still want me. And if you do-don't I probably will anyway."

"I'll always want you."

"I love you, Jace."

"I love you too, Clary."

And then, her chest didn't rise anymore.


	28. Chapter 26

Epilogue

He goes to her grave every thursday now. It's her favorite day. She's not buried in the cemetery where her headstone is, though. He made them cremate her and sprinkle her into the wind to carry her where it may, because that's what she would have wanted. But there was a small bottle of ashes in the coffin, along with all her favorite things. Her paint, her brushes, her scetch pad, and a small 4x4 photograph of her and Jace she had tucked under her pillow. So, he goes there every Thursday because it is as close as he can get to her.

He has thought of suicide, but Clary would be so disappointed, and he's fairly certain that he won't end up where she ended up if he dies that way. So he goes on with life, carrying his promise of eternal love on his back, though it does not weigh him down. He does what she says. He finds a girl, falls in love, has kids. He even takes them to her grave, and when they are old enough, tells them the story of the girl who will always be sixteen, the girl who is stitched to his heart. His wife knows. He told her the story right before he proposed. She understands. Sometimes she looks at him with a sadness that he knows is his fault, but he does love her. Just...just not like he loved Clary for those brief, passionate few months in a steaming hot attic. He shows his grandchildren the grave, now, too, and they bring flowers. Red ones, the exact color of her hair, but not roses because she thought those where clićhe. He never gets a chance to tell them the story, because the oldest one is only six when he is diagnosed with cancer. Three months later, he is sent home. He knows what that means. A week after he is released from the hospital, he can feel something inside himself begin to switch off, and he tries to remember what day it is. Early spring, just around the time he met her. Nearly 70 years since he first saw he face. He is weary. He has had a full life, with enough pain and enough joy and enough love for two. He lays down in the big queen bed, the sun shining through the windows, the grass green and the birds sing their carefree song. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and finally sees her smiling green eyes again.


	29. Chapter 27

THANK YOU GUYS ALL SO MUCH FOR READING THIS! I love every single one of you so much! But... There are some special thanks I would like to extend.

**First and foremost, thank you to the people who have been with me since chapter 1:**

Blue Lily96

a (anonymous reviewer)

Max-ride-fax-fan

Aren (anonymous reviewer)

Frizzyhead101

**And those who reviewed chapter 2:**

Mykk47

NikkiGargol

Wingz-and-a-Fez

Blue Lily96

Painted-on-silence

Frizzyhead101

Raksha-DanceWaterDance

**And now, some more personal acknowledgements:**

Dear Wingz-and-a-Fez,

Thank you for having an epic username, and for role playing with Liam in your reviews. That made me giggle:) and also, thank you for ganging up on that Sarah chick who flamed my story.

Dear Rionabelle,

Thank you for threatening to fish slap me if Clary and Jace didn't kiss. Actually, no thank you. That sounds kind of gross, frankly. But it's the thought that counts:)

Dear Purple Halo,

Thank you for reviewing MANYMANYMANYMANY times to bring me up to 50. (Cheater cheater pumpkin eater). And I also thank you for yelling at Sarah with me. Flamers these day...;)

Dear Don'tworryBeHappy21,

Thank you for convincing me to change my pen name to something that wasn't .Myself. I'm not sure why I ever thought that was so cool.

**AND NOW, thank you to these people who:**

Ganged up on Sarah with me:

Purple halo

Hey Sarah (anonymous reviewer)

Wingz-and-a-Fez

Anonymous1997 (anonymous reviewer)

BookwormS28 (anonymous reviewer)

Felt sorry for me when I broke up with my boyfriend even though I totally didn't deserve any sympathy:

Invisibleme1835

Lookingbetterthanyouinblack (epic pen name, bro)

Magnus-Bane-Sparkles

Ms. Purple Trumpet (epic, random pen name:)

**And finally, my favorite reviews that made me laugh and what I have to say to them:**

Ultra-swimgurl: OMG I didn't expect the toe switch thing!

Me: Let's hope you didn't, Hun.

Magnus-Bane-Sparkles: Pooo D:

Me: Hehe! That word makes me giggle!

3579JM: ...give us the damn date...

Me: I have nothing to say to you.

**And some reviews that don't need a response:**

ShineBrighterThanTheStars: Ooo! Tangled web of lies!

Mymortalromance: What the fluff balls!

And a special shout-out to Scrotie McBoogerBalls for writing a 15 sentence review, posted it on my review wall and then realizing that it was the wrong story. Let's give her a hand!:);):) I don't even know how you do that. Should I just grab a hacksaw, or should it be surgical?

I'm really sad to be ending this! This story was my baby!

I know my ending to my story was bitter sweet (at least to me), but that's how most things in life are. I mean, not everyone has a cereal killer foster sister and an insane father who cuts your big toe off and a gay brother and- yeah you get the point. And if you didn't, well, the point was that shit happens. It's life. Get used to it. Learn, move on, but don't forget. Never forget:)


	30. Fan Fiction Fight

Hey guys, listen up;

I failed at participating in black-out day (today) since I didn't know, HOWEVER, you and I can both help the FanFiction Fight by signing this petition; (take out the spaces)

_ : / / w w w . change petitions / fanfiction- net- stop- the- destruction- of- fanfiction- net_

I have already had one of my stories deleted.

**Our words deserve to be heard, no matter WHAT they say.**


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